Red Tide
by dear-ambellina
Summary: re-written! Reno/OC. The girl who works for Rufus Shinra has a grudge against Reno. Can her clouded past reveal more ties to both the heroes and villains the world faces?
1. Chapter 1

I swore I'd never forget the first time I saw him. Spattered in blood from head to toe, the calm look in his eyes belying his otherwise disheveled appearance, and the chaos around us. At first I backed away slowly, unable to tear my eyes from the scattered bodies of the other children and the caretakers of the prison-like orphanage I called home. But when one finger slipped back past the trigger guard of the gun in his hand, I found my common sense, turned, and ran down the hall as fast as I could.

He walked calmly behind me, knowing there was nowhere I could escape to. None of the rooms I passed would provide a route out of the building, and there was no way I would risk jumping from the eighth floor window to get to the street. When I reached the end of the hallway, I turned back to face him, trying to appear brave though tears rimmed my eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" My voice wavered as he came closer. He stared at me blankly, and said as if it were the most simple thing in the world,

"I was told to. It is my job." Now he had me cornered, and raised his gun, pointing the barrel between my eyes.

"Please..." I whispered, my voice failing me and a tear escaping. I closed my eyes and prepared for the end, but he hesitated. I looked at him, finding him with a new expression, one of questioning. His finger was removed from the trigger again, and he looked me over, a scrawny nine year old in a tattered nightgown that had ceased being white years before it came to be mine.

"Why are you crying?" He asked. His green eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, and I finally understood what he really was.

"Be-because you're going to kill me," I whimpered. "Like you killed the others."

"But you serve no purpose without the master's blessings. Why do you wish to continue a meaningless existence in this place?" I had no answer, and his trigger finger began creeping back toward its place, and my eyes grew wide with fear as he took a last step toward me. For a moment, the still hot barrel singed a mark on my forehead, but by the grace of some deity, he tripped over the loose board I'd remembered to dodge. I was relieved for a second, thinking maybe I'd escape, but when he fell, he slammed into me, and the next thing I knew I was crashing through the glass of the large window behind me.

The next time I opened my eyes I was still laying in the street, surrounded by the shimmering shards of broken glass, fire spewing from the windows of the building I'd plummeted from. My whole body was encased in searing pain, and I lacked the strength to move even when a shadowy figure leaned over me.

"Was that your home, child?" the stranger asked in a low, resonant voice. I opened my mouth a little to answer but couldn't find my voice. "Do you wish for revenge?"

"Y-yes." He smiled, a chilling sight.

"Sleep now, and your revenge will come." I blinked a few times at this man, studying his gray-green eyes, then closed my eyes and gave in to sudden exhaustion.

* * *

A/N: sorry, short chapter! but it's the right place to cut the prologue thing, putting it with chapter seemed wierd to me. enjoy!!


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey! Are you going to get that, or what?" My eyes snapped open and I looked around at the small office I was sitting in. The phone in front of me was ringing, and a woman with short blond hair was standing in front of me, tapping her toe on the floor impatiently.

"Oh! Of course. I'm sorry I interrupted your meeting with Mr. Shinra." She shot me a look, prepared to say something else when another voice came from the office behind me.

"Don't be rude, Elena. Kemuri's my personal assistant. She's as important as you are. And I don't believe we were done..." Elena sighed and trudged back into the office, shutting the door behind her, and I picked up the phone.

"Good afternoon, Shinra electric power company, how can I help you?"

"Who is this?" A low voice came from the other end.

"Uhh... this is Mr. Shinra's assistant. Who's this?"

"An assistant, huh? Rude, boss got himself a secretary, yo! Can you believe this?" The conversation continued between the two on the other end, and I slowly stopped paying attention until the man shouted through to me.

"Hey! Are you paying attention?"

"Shit..." I muttered under my breath. "I'm sorry, what can I do for you?"

"Put me through to the boss, honey."

"I- I'm sorry, Mr. Shinra's in a meeting right now. Can I take a message for you?" The voice chuckled cooly, then drawled,

"No need, we'll be there in a few." The line went dead and I put the receiver back, slumping down in my chair and resting my chin on my hand. I stared at the blank screen of my computer, opening and closing the files I had access to. I perked up when suddenly a new screen came up, the screen going black and asking for a password in bright green letters. After a few halfhearted attempts, I guessed the password, shaking my head at its simplicity.

"Who makes the city they live in the password to their program?" A new screen came up, asking for search parameters, but I was interrupted when the door flew open and Elena stormed out again, followed by Mr. Shinra in his wheelchair.

"I can't believe you're sending us back to the damned crater! After what happened there?!"

"Elena, We need to retrieve it before Kadaj and his gang do. Besides, you have no choice, this is an order." She sighed, and I sat at my desk, trying to act as if I wasn't there.

"Yes, Mr. President."

"I'm glad you understand, Elena. You are free to go, there will be nothing else until we're ready for this mission." Elena turned and left, pouting, and he turned to me. "Kemuri, you can go as well. I'm closing the office for a few days and going up to Healin." I stood and asked confusedly,

"Healin sir? Didn't we just go last week?"

"Yes, but this time it's not a pleasure trip. As you may have heard, a few of my other employees are going up north for a small job. Healin will be the headquarters for the duration it."

"Should I pack a bag then, Mr. Shinra?"

"It won't be necessary for you to accompany me this time, and as I said the office here will be closed. You'll be on paid vacation until we return. Now go home, Kemuri, you'll get a call from Elena when we return." I nodded and left the gloomy office, climbing onto my small scooter and puttering quietly down the dusty road back toward Edge. A pair of motorcycles passed me heading back toward the Shinra building, but I paid them no attention. But then I realized I'd left my purse under my desk, and turned back, cursing under my breath.

There was more shouting coming from the building when I pulled back into the deserted parking lot. I waited just outside the door until the shouting died down a little, sounding as if it had retreated into Mr. Shinra's office, then silently slipped inside and ducked behind my desk. My purse was waiting there for me, and I picked it up, straightening back up to find that I'd left my computer on., the search prompt still beckoning me. Sitting forward in my chair, I typed in 'Northern crater'.

The results listed one previous incident there, most of the explanation for which I didn't understand, but had something to do with the state of the Shinra company and Midgar now. At the end of the listing there were related topics for reference, few of which interested me. They were mostly just names of people mentioned in the northern crater listing, Jenova, Sephiroth, Cloud Strife, and on and on, but the last on the list seemed not to fit the rest. Project red tide. I was about to select it when suddenly the same voice as before spoke from nearby me, startling me back to awareness of the outside world.

"You the one that answered the phone?" My eyes flicked up and my jaw almost dropped when they met the brilliant green eyes staring half-lidded at me from a handsome and vaguely familiar face. I struggled to keep my composure, as his sudden appearance had startled me, and answered in a level voice.

"Yes."

"Hmm," he smirked, giving me a look that must've been used to reduce countless women to quivering masses of lust before. "What's a beauty like you doing answering phones for the boss here?" I glanced back at the screen, shutting down the program and the computer before I was caught doing something I shouldn't.

"I need the money, and this is a paying job." I stood from my spot and crossed the room, grasping the door handle and pulling it open to leave. But before it was open enough for me to slip out, A slender, long-fingered hand pushed it back shut.

"Pretty girl like you wouldn't have trouble finding someone to pay her way." I turned back to face him, forcing myself to meet his gaze, but only able to hold it for a few seconds before dropping it to the ground.

"I don't like to depend on something so narcissistic as that when I'm perfectly capable of making my own way." I sidestepped him, prepared to go around and get away from him, but his other arm shot out, pinning me against the wall.

"Beautiful and determined.... How about you let me take you out for a few drinks when I get back from the north with the boss?"

"Reno, can't you be in the same room as a woman for ten seconds without trying to take her home with you?" Mr. Shinra's voice rang out sarcastically. "Get off of her." He sighed and backed up, and I stepped around him. "I thought I dismissed you Kemuri, what are you doing here?"

"I- I forgot my bag, Mr. Shinra. I'm sorry I caused a disruption. I'm leaving right now."

"You don't have to apologize," he sighed, his voice tired and strained. Mr. Shinra had always been prone to certain angry moods for as long as I'd known him, but the times I was most put on edge were when he sounded so exhausted, like this.

"Of course, Mr. Shinra." I bowed my head a little as a goodbye, then said softly, "Mr. Shinra?"

"Yes, Kemuri?"

"Maybe you should take it easy, while you're up north. You shouldn't strain yourself... in your condition."

"Of course. Now go on. Like I said, Elena will call you when we return." I turned and passed by the one called Reno and his partner, getting a little nod from the taller bald man.

"I'll see you, Kemuri," Reno said cockily, "don't forget about that drink I promised you." A few minutes later, back on the road, I muttered under my breath,

"Cocky bastard."

* * *

A/N: there's the first (real) chapter! hope you liked it! will continue soon wiz moore, please review?


	3. Chapter 3

By the time I reached the city the sun was beginning to set, and my feet were crying out for release from their high heeled prisons. So when I saw the lights flick on inside a small bar I resigned myself to going inside.

"Hi! Welcome to the Seventh Heaven," a woman greeted me from behind the bar. "Can I get you something?" I sat on a stool in front of her, letting my shoulders slump tiredly.

"Whiskey, please," I sighed, taking the glass when she'd filled it.

"So what brings you in tonight?" she asked amiably.

"Not a good day at work. Long story." I gulped down the liquid and she refilled my glass.

"Well, you've got all night, and I'm happy to listen if you want. I'm not going anywhere," she smiled at me. I returned it weakly and noticed her gaze had shifted right past me, confusing me until I heard a child's tired voice.

"Tifa... Marlene had another nightmare. She's crying and she wants you..." The woman excused herself and headed upstairs with the boy, leaving me alone at the bar. I rested my chin on one hand, sighing again and letting my high heeled shoes dangle from my toes.

"Do you want revenge?" I looked up, startled, into a pair of blue-green eyes with cat like pupils, and the sense of deja vu was so strong and sudden that I could hardly keep a chill from going down my spine.

"Excuse me?" I managed. The newcomer sat next to me, a man my age, perhaps a few years younger, with silver hair that stopped just above his shoulders and hung mysteriously into his face. He faced straight forward, watching me through my reflection in the mirror behind the bar rather than actually looking at me, then said in an almost immature, though strangely seductive voice.

"The red haired man. You recognized him, didn't you?"

"Who are you?"

"Your brother. One of them."

"I meant your name."

"Kadaj." My mind flashed for an instant to the little bit of Mr. Shinra's conversation with Elena earlier that day.

"What do you know about me?"

"Everything that's worth knowing. How your employer secretly supplies you with the mako you're addicted to, for instance."

"What are you talking about?!" I glanced around to make sure no one had heard, but we were the only ones in the bar, and the bartender hadn't returned yet. "You can't say stuff like that, people in Edge don't like anything that has to do with Shinra or meteor."

"Don't act like you don't know. You crave it, don't you? You need it. Being a mako freak shouldn't be that much of a shock for you, no one else even gets near the stuff."

"How did you know?" I asked gravely.

"The same way you almost rediscovered your past today. Shinra's company files."

"You mean the Shinra company ran the orphanage I lived in?"

"I don't know that much. But it's all there, if you only go looking for it. That though, is not why I have come to meet you tonight."

"Then why have you-" he cut me off.

"We're going to have a reunion with our mother, and Shinra stands our way. And in the way of Shinra are his bodyguards, the Turks. My brothers and I are going to take care of that soon, but I figured I'd offer you the chance to kill the red haired man yourself. After all, you did make a vow of revenge against him after he destroyed that orphanage..." I heard a shattering sound and looked down, realizing that I'd crushed my glass. I released the pieces that were still in my hand, letting the broken glass mix on the bar top with the remaining whiskey and a bit of blood from my cut palm.

"I'll take that to mean you accept." I wiped the blood and alcohol off of my hand and looked back up at him.

"Of course. But what do I get out of this?"

"Besides the revenge?" he smirked. "We're willing to supply your mako. And a place in the reunion, if you choose to join us and mother."

"Fine."

"Miss, are you all right? I thought I heard something break down here." The woman, Tifa, was coming back. I turned to see her come down the last few steps, and when I looked back, Kadaj was gone.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said to her. "The glass broke, got my hand a little is all." She quickly cleaned up the mess, and insisted on bandaging my hand, apologizing the whole time for her cheap glassware. As she wrapped my hand, she studied me closely, and said,

"You know, you look kind of familiar."

"Do I? I don't think we've ever met."

"Well no, we haven't. I meant you look kind of like someone I know."

"Really?"

"Yes. I've only ever seen one or two other people with blonde hair and blue eyes around here." She paused. "There you go, all done. Sorry again."

"Rare genes I guess. And thank you for the bandage, I really didn't need it. I probably should get going though, I'm exhausted." I got to my feet, paid, then rode home. My small apartment was just as I'd left it, but when I flopped on the bed I noticed something new. Sitting on the night stand, tied with a white ribbon and sitting next to a little card, was a single injection of mako in its liquid form.

Struggling to resist the urge to use it right away, I picked up the card instead and opened it. Scrawled in a small handwriting was the note:

'Sister- the beginning of your payment, as promised. The red haired man will be near the northern crater for a few days- optimal time to kill him. Enjoy your revenge.' It was signed by Kadaj. Shaking my head, I placed the card back on the night stand and laid down, thinking about how long the ride to the northern crater would be. I fell asleep quickly, not even bothering to get up and take my work clothes off.

* * * * *

"She does look like older brother, doesn't she, Kadaj?" a faint voice murmured.

"I told you that already, Loz, you dimwit." This voice was familiar. The... the man from the bar... Kadaj.

"Don't be so mean, Kadaj. You'll make him cry again." A third voice said, softer than the other two.

"I'm not crying!" the first snapped, rather loudly, making me realize that I wasn't dreaming this conversation. I opened my eyes to find two unfamiliar men standing at the foot of my bed, one with a short haircut, and the other with hair almost as long as mine. They both looked considerably like Kadaj, who was standing by the night stand twirling the mako injection between his fingers. I sat up and snatched it from him, then getting up and crossing to the closet door. I opened it and started searching inside for something new to wear, conversing with them as I did.

"How do you keep getting in here?" One of the unfamiliar ones, the one with the long hair answered, his voice almost sounding insulted.

"You underestimate us, sister. Do you really have such little faith?"

"My faith isn't your concern. Why are you here?"

"I didn't think you'd enjoy taking that poor excuse of a vehicle to the northern crater," Kadaj said, leaning against the wall with a smirk.

"And we've got more presents for you," the big one gushed.

"You idiot. Calm down before you give yourself a stroke."

"Kadaj," the first one complained, "don't make him cry again!"

"The IDIOT deserved it, Yazoo," Kadaj shot back.

"I'M NOT CRYING!" Loz sniffled. I finally found what I was looking for, and turned to them.

"Look, can the three of you continue this sibling moment outside? I need to change." They followed Kadaj out, and I waited for the door to close behind them before pulling off the wrinkled clothes I'd spent the night in. Then I put on a plain black shirt that was a bit low cut and had sleeves that stopped just below my elbows, and a simple pair of jeans.

Finished getting dressed, I pulled put a wooden box from under my bed and set it on the mattress before flicking the latch open. Inside was my gun, a simple but powerful piece whose silver finish reflected a distorted image of myself back at me. I slipped into the leather shoulder holster and fastened it before checking the pistol over and setting it place. Once the box was back under the bed, I opened the second drawer of the night stand and slipped large knife into a holster on the other side of the shoulder rigged leather. Armed and ready to go, I shoved the mako injector in my pocket and pulled on a black leather jacket to cover up my weapons.

When I came out on the street, I was pulling my hair back into a ponytail, and the men lounging near their motorcycles eyed me like hormonal boys. Kadaj's gaze though, was more mature than the rest, and his hungry stare gave me a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. He got on his bike and started it up, a signal to the others to do the same, his eyes never leaving me. I climbed on behind him and held onto his waist, I saying coolly,

"Keep it in your pants, boys. I'm your 'sister' remember?" This question seemed to snap them from their daze, and we took off on a silent ride north. When we arrived at Healin, Kadaj stopped and let me off, pointing to a helicopter that was just lifting off and heading toward the crater a bit north of where we were.

"The red haired one pilots that helicopter. He won't be gone long, but I suspect you'll want to ask a few things of your boss before you do what you came for." I nodded, and he added a bit regretfully, "I'm afraid you'll have to find your own way back. Our business will take a while." I stood next to his idling bike and nodded again.

"Plenty of people come through here, I'll hitch a ride after I'm done." He smirked again and held out a hand, three more doses of mako in it.

"This should last you while we're gone. See you back in Edge." They were gone in a cloud of dust from the road, and I headed inside, stopping near the front desk when a young man recognized me.

"Oh, miss Kemuri, I was wondering when you'd show up, With Mr. Shinra here and all." I put on a friendly smile.

"You know me, always doing my best for Mr. Shinra. Is he-"

"In his normal room. Do you want me to escort you up?"

"No, thank you. I have to stop by the restroom first, it was a long ride." He smiled as if we were having a completely innocent conversation, and I wasn't about to kill someone.

"All right. I'll call up and tell him you're here." For a second, the muscles in my stomach tightened, but I kept my cool.

"There's no need. I called him before I left Edge. He already knows I'm coming."

The man nodded and I headed up the flights of stairs that lead to Shinra's private suite, pausing near the door to make sure none of the Turks had stayed behind with him. When I was sure he was alone, I stepped forward, pulled out my gun, and busted through the door, making him jump and curse in surprise. Keeping my aim on him, I shut the door and closed the distance between us, pressing the barrel to his temple.

"Kemuri?" he asked, slightly confused, but not afraid. The fool.

"What do you know about project red tide?" I hissed at him.

"I don't know anything."

"Don't lie to me, Mr. Shinra. I don't want to have to shoot you."

* * *

A/N: so just for reference, the name, written in kanji, means smoke. more coming soon-ish, review?


	4. Chapter 4

"Don't lie to me, Mr. Shinra. I don't want to have to shoot you."

"Kemuri... you won't shoot me."

"What?" I slid my finger onto the trigger, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Without your mako, you lack the will to kill me. And you're much too lucid to be on a high right now."

Shit.

I backed up a few steps and pulled out one of the injections, lifting up my shirt, Shinra in my sights the whole time. I held the injection between my teeth while I moved the layers of bandage aside to reveal the scarred spot that marked the injection site. The drug burned through my veins like fire at first, a small moan escaping me as the curious pain turned to almost ecstasy when the drug took effect. I was calm and steadier now than ever, the only thing on my mind the task ahead.

"How did you know about the mako?"

"I always research my employees before I hire them, Kemuri."

"Then tell me what I want to know and I'll let you live." He chuckled harshly, a sound I'd never heard from him.

"Do you really think I'm foolish enough to believe that?"

"My purpose here is not to kill you, Mr. Shinra, I'm here for someone else. If you tell me the truth now, I'll have no reason to harm you." He sighed and relaxed back into the wheelchair.

"My father and his subordinates ran a lot of less than admirable experiments before the meteor. Many of which lead to the destruction of Midgar. Red tide was one of those projects." He paused long enough to turn and watch me pull my bandage and shirt back into place, still a man despite how indifferent he usually acted. I was surprised though that he had no reaction to what he saw, only asking calmly,

"You hide the stigma well, Kemuri. I suppose the mako has something to do with dulling the pain?" I stepped back to him, pulling the blanket off of him and this time pressing my gun to his bandaged forehead.

"This isn't about me, Mr. Shinra. Tell me about the project."

"Orphaned children were taken to a safehouse in Midgar, where they were trained in martial arts and weapons fighting while in a constant state of mako high, then deprived of it an put through the same regimen. The cycle was continued endlessly until a child was thoroughly addicted, and deemed fit to become one of the 'red tide'."

"Why? What was the red tide?"

"The youngest recruits that would one day become part of SOLDIER. When the traveler landed on the planet-"

"The traveler? You mean Jenova?"

"I see you've been doing some research of your own. No, not Jenova, but very much like her. This traveler was never named, but the remains of it were used similarly to the experiments that created the enhanced SOLDIER members like Sephiroth."

"... Only on children..."

"Yes. You were one of the few that were enhanced with the cells. After a few of you were, you began showing traits that were only listed as 'unfavorable' in the files. I assume it was something along the lines of mental instability and strength unfit for a child to posses, like Sephiroth exhibited after being enhanced with Jenova's cells. So project red tide was abandoned and destroyed by its only fully successful prototype. The first mako child that had avoided the traveler's cells by chance."

"The boy. The red head."

"Yes, Reno. That's all that is in the files, I've got nothing left to tell you."

"I believe you." I didn't lower my aim, knowing the chances of him have a violent outburst of strength even in his condition. But this precaution was my almost fatal mistake. Because in the next second he, my target, burst through the door, out of breath and obviously freaking out. His partner, the bald man was behind him, a worried look also on his face.

"Rufus!" he shouted, surprising me with his disregard of manner toward Mr. Shinra. "Elena and Tseng, they-" The pair of them froze when they saw the scene before them, and both Shinra and I stared back in shock.

"Who's this?" the bald one asked, hurting my feelings a little at not remembering me. Reno only brandished a long nightstick that had a strange look about it, obviously not meant for just beating. His eyebrows came together in confusion, having mistaken me for a normal person the previous day.

"The secretary? What the hell are you doing here like this?!" A smile creeping slowly to my lips, I murmured my response to him.

"I'm keeping my oath. Death has come for you, boy." He lifted the nightstick toward me and I saw that some unseen source had sent electricity pulsing through it, sparking occasionally from the tip.

"My name is RENO," he said. "You could've at least remembered it, I asked you on a date!"

"Do you remember my name?" I spat.

"Um... uhh..." I smirked, having won our brief battle of wits. But suddenly a blur of white caught the corner of my eye as Mr. Shinra lunged from his wheelchair at me. I kicked him back into his seat easily, but the distraction he'd caused was enough for Reno to get close enough to hit me. I dropped to one knee as the intense electrical charge cut through even the potent shield of nerve dulling power the mako had given me.

"Bastard!" I gasped, getting my knife with my free hand and slashing it through the air, making him jump back. No one moved for a moment this time, but when the bald man took a step toward me, Reno held a hand out to stop him.

"She's mine." The same devilish light played in his eye, and I forced myself to my feet. We faced each other, waiting for who would make the first move. Without warning, I heaved the knife at him.

"Shit." My aim was off. When I'd meant to end it all then by hitting him in the neck, or at least hit his partner in the arm if he dodged, I'd embedded the blade in his shoulder. A painful but nonfatal wound.

"You bitch! You fucking stabbed me, yo!" He cried in disbelief, staring at me wide eyed. He took a step toward me and I met him, grasping the handle of the knife just as he prepared to give me another shock. We both froze and stared into each others eyes.

"You know if you do that, you'll get yourself too," I muttered to him. That was when I felt a tap on my shoulder, and looked behind me to find the bald one waiting, eyebrows raised expectantly. He threw a punch that would've floored me, but I twisted and ducked, freeing my blade at the same time.

"Sonofabitch!" Reno hissed, grabbing his shoulder and letting the stick dangle uselessly from its strap. Dodging the bald guy's attacks as Reno cursed over his wound, I realized that I was outmatched against the pair of them. I might've been able to take one on their own, but together they had me beat. I backed up to the window, holding the two of them off with the threat of my gun. Still holding his shoulder with one hand but now keeping his weapon in the other, he stepped in front of his partner and smirked.

"You can't get out of here, you know that, right? You'll have to jump out the window." I pointed the barrel at him, since the bald one had stopped advancing on me.

"Don't come any closer."

"Or what, sweetheart? You already told me you're here to kill me."

"If you stop, I'll shoot you in the head and make it quick for you." He laughed at me, and my eyes narrowed in anger.

"Even if you did kill me, you'd never be able to escape. Rude would run you down before you could find a place to hide." My bottom lip stuck out a little in a pout, and I complained,

"Well, I'll just have to fix that, won't I?" In an instant I'd turned the gun on the larger man and fired, taking him down with a hit to the knee.

"Rude!" Reno shouted, then turned to me, throwing his nightstick at me. I dodged it at the last second and it hit the window, shattering it and assuring my escape route. I glanced out, relieved that we were only on the third floor and as my luck would have it, a patch of scrubby bushes were just outside. I fired as I leapt backward out the window, rolling as I landed then looking back up. I'd missed again.

"Hey!" Reno shouted down at me, "You're not getting away with this, yo!" I emptied my clip up at him, and he ducked back inside, giving me enough time to make a break around the side of the building toward the parking area. Striking it lucky again, a man was just climbing onto his motorcycle and starting it up.

"Oi! Oi, you!" I yelled to him. "Are you going back to Edge?" He eyed me.

"As a matter of fact I am. Do you need a ride?" I leaned forward so a bit of cleavage peeked out over the bandages and he could see down my shirt.

"I would love a ride."

"Well hop on." I did as he said, holding onto his belt as he shot out onto the road. I relaxed a bit as Healin faded behind us, but once we made it to the abandoned highway, I heard a faint but forbiddingly familiar sound. We came up over the crest of a hill, and hovering just above the road was the Shinra helicopter, Mr. Shinra himself behind the 'wheel' and Reno leaning out the other side with a high powered rifle, his eye to the scope and no doubt a cocky grin gracing his lips.

"What in the hell is-" was all my ride got out before his skull disintegrated all over me and the cycle spun out of control. After a few impacts with the road, everything went black.

"Oi. You dead?" his voice called faintly. I opened my eyes and found him standing over me, shielding his eyes from the sun. His stick was balanced on his shoulder. All I could manage was a small groan, and he grinned wickedly in response.

"Good. Can't have that yet." I heard the sound of straining metal, and realized that the motorcycle had at least partly come down on top of me when the fall had finally stopped. I thanked Mr. Shinra silently for reminding me to use some mako before this had all happened, as the pain remained rather dull, for now at least. He bent down and started checking me over, and I closed my eyes again, repulsed at the thought of his touch but unable to move away from him. After a few minutes he was satisfied that I could be moved, and strained to pick me up.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath at the new pressure on his shoulder. When I was off of the ground and thrown over his good shoulder, I could feel him start to walk me back toward the idling helicopter. My face was against his back, and with every shallow, vaguely painful breath I got a whiff of his cologne, which in my state made the back of my throat tickle with the threat of vomiting. I gripped his jacket with one hand, saying in a raspy whisper,

"Why don't you just kill me?"

"It's not that easy, honey. We're not done with you yet."

"Wha- what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make you talk. The president wants to know everything about your associates in this little ambush." He climbed up and into the vehicle, dropping me unceremoniously into an empty seat next to the bald man. I looked at him for a few seconds, then closed my eyes to rest.

Half an hour later we were still headed south, but it seemed that everyone except for Reno, who'd taken over piloting, had fallen asleep. I looked down to see that my hands were bound, but there was a short length of chain between the two cuffs. As quietly as I could manage, I stood and crept up behind him, throwing my arms over the back of the seat and starting to strangle him with my chains.

"For the love of God!" he choked out, trying to keep control over the flight. "How can you even still move?" Before I had a chance to answer, I felt the same shock go through me as before, sapping my last bit of strength.

"Keep flying Reno, we're almost there," Mr. Shinra's voice said from next no me. He freed the red head from my grasp and let me fall to the floor, completely immobilized now. The mako was beginning to wear off, and now I prayed for the darkness to come and take me until I was dead or healed. Thankfully, my prayer was answered, and the last thing I saw before my vision faded to black was Reno glancing sideways down at me, a surprising look of worry behind his bright green eyes.

* * *

A/N: chapter 4! a little explanation of the background here.... review?


	5. Chapter 5

The sound of a heavy door closing woke me up, into a curiously numb state. I was in a large room, empty except for two chairs, one of which I was occupying and the other one facing me. Obviously a set up for an interrogation.

The sound of approaching footsteps made me curious, but when I tried to turn and see who was coming I realized I was cuffed, tied, and chained to the chair, my head the only thing that could really move. He eventually reached me, steadying the old wooden chair with one hand before sitting in it. His jacket was gone now, and the open collar of his bloodstained shirt gave a small glimpse of the bandages on his shoulder. His right sleeve was rolled up and the same arm was bandaged down just past the elbow, and he was no doubt under doctor's orders to keep from moving it and worsening his injury.

"How're those painkillers working for you, honey?" he asked with a smirk, his ever-ready nightstick now in his usable hand.

"They're great. And here I thought that you didn't like me." His smirk was joined by a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"Trust me, you only got them because I want you paying attention to me for this." He switched the thing on, the humming sound of electricity setting a small chill in my bones. "Who sent you to kill Shinra?" I looked down at my restraints.

"Don't you think all this is a little much?"

"Answer the question..."

"I mean, assuming you're smart enough to have taken my weapons and my mako, and considering the condition I'm probably in from your great job sniping that guy... I'm just a poor, hurt, defenseless girl."

"Answer the question," he said more forcefully.

"What do you call that stick thing of yours? I mean, it's got to have some kind of special name, right? Something like electro-something or other... am I close?" He lost his temper, shouting,

"Answer the goddamn question!"

"I'm sorry..." I sighed, "I... seem to have forgotten the question." That was the last straw, and the shock from his electro something or other sent my mind reeling and the painkillers on a path of fading away.

"Now tell me. Who sent you for Shinra?"

"I didn't come for Shinra, I came for you."

"Bullshit. Tell me the truth."

"That is the truth. I'm going to kill you." He sighed.

"Then who sent you to kill me?"

"No one."

"You're lying." Now I was beginning to get angry.

"Do you have any proof of that?"

"Isn't it proof enough that you've got doses of mako? You can't just pick that up on the streets, honey, someone is supplying you... and I know whoever that is is the same guy who sent you." My ribs had started to throb, and I suspected that at least a few of them were broken. But I managed a weak smile anyway.

"You're just a big chauvinist, huh? I want to kill you, to end your life by any means possible, but it's just not good enough, is it? Someone HAD to send me, because I'm just some simple, mindless drone who's made for you to date?" A new shock dragged away the rest of the pleasant veil the painkillers had given me, and the sudden onslaught of the sensation almost made me black out again.

"You know, if you told me things would go a lot better for you. I'm going to let that last little outburst go, because I figure a few things are going on about now."

"Really?" I ground out. "Please, do enlighten me."

"First, I figure that right about now, my EMR here has canceled out the painkillers, and you're just screaming your pretty little head off in there. Second, you are pretty messed up from that accident, but until I find out what I want to know I've decided to not let you have any medical attention. Third, I already know for a fact who you're with, it was as easy as connecting the dots, which makes you an unnecessary waste of my time if you continue to make yourself so useless." I blinked a few times at him, then hung my head.

"How about this- you tell me who you think I'm 'with', and I'll tell you if you're right."

"Why should I do that?"

"Because it'll save time. And you like me."

"And you know that how?" He readied his 'EMR' for another shock, leaning forward in his seat.

"Well, you asked me on a date no less than two minutes after we met, you hesitated when you saw me with a gun to your boss's head, you're keeping me alive even though I'm what you called 'useless', you're not causing me nearly enough pain to count as torture real enough to make me tell you anything, and even now you're judging how long you've got left with this little charade until you actually have to do something about my injuries." There was a tickle in the back of my throat, and I coughed, feeling blood run down my chin a little. He stood and cursed, forgetting his weapon and the entire interrogation. As he pulled a key from his pocket and let loose the tight restraints against my body, I sighed with relief and let myself fall forward. Just before my world went black again, I felt him catch me, and was enveloped by the smell of blood, sweat, and cologne.

It was cold. That was the first thing I registered as I forced myself out of my daze. Not frigid, but enough to give me goosebumps and send a shiver through me. My chest ached, as well as my arms and right leg, but the pain didn't worry me. It meant that I'd been given new painkillers, even if less than before, which might mean that he'd gotten me medical treatment as well.

I opened my eyes to find that I was right. I was on a bed, laying on top of the blankets but laying nonetheless. My left arm was in a sling against my chest, which was bandaged from armpits to belly button. I looked over to find my extensively bandaged right wrist in a metal bracelet looking device, a manacle, I recalled groggily, and a chain lead from that to where it was fastened securely to the wall behind the bedpost. Moving my left leg, I discovered it was in a similar restraint, and saw that my right leg was almost entirely bandaged, with faint stains of blood seeping through.

Resting my head on the pillow, I awaited my captor, knowing he would not be long. Shortly, the door of this new room opened and he stepped in, setting a tray on the dresser next to the door. Once we were both closed in, he pulled a chair next to the bed and sat down. After a second, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his legs and speaking to me in a calm voice.

"Look, Kemuri. I don't want to spend a lot of time torturing you. The truth is, I'd rather not torture a woman at all, but you're not leaving me much choice. Just name them, and tell me what I want to know. Then we won't have to play this whole game."

"But you look like you do SO enjoy playing with me, boy."

"Don't mock me, I didn't have to pull you from that wreck. Didn't have to give you pain meds and bandage you up,-"

"You didn't have to catch me when I fell and carry me to bed."

"Shut up! You really get on my nerves!" I smiled weakly and he sighed, reaching forward and lifting the loose white rag of a shirt he'd given me. I flinched away from him and he paused, holding his other hand out to me, palm open.

"Easy," he murmured, talking as if to a skittish dog. When I didn't move anymore, he looked over my bandaged chest and leg, then stood. Before he turned to the tray, he fished a keyring from his pocket and grabbed my shackled wrist.

"Now don't do anything stupid, or you won't get any more food until you behave. Understand?" I nodded and he unlocked me, letting me sit up before placing the tray on my lap. I grabbed the spoon and took a mouthful of soup, almost spitting it back before gulping it down angrily.

"It's cold," I said bluntly.

"Wouldn't want you to throw hot soup on me and try to escape." I sighed and ate anyway, stemming the ravenous hunger in the pit of my stomach. "Was it good?" he asked, shocking me.

"Best cold soup I've ever eaten in chains in my life."

"Well that is too bad." His fist collided with my gut before I could question him, and the food splattered back over the tray and my lap in a single painful heave. I looked up at him, seeing the wicked gleam in his eyes, and I was struck speechless.

"Are you starting to get it now? Until you give me what I want, things aren't going to go well for you." He paused and held the mako out, taunting me with it. "About three hours from now, four tops, you're going to start feeling the withdrawal stage of your mako dependency. I don't know if you've experienced withdrawal before, but it is not pleasant."

"Give it to me," I choked out.

"Tell me what I want to know."

"I'm no snitch."

"And I'm no drug supplier, apparently." He turned to go, glancing back over his shoulder at me. "Have fun for the next few days. But try not to have a seizure or move around too much, any more damage to your ribs might end up killing you." He was gone in the next instant, and I sank back against the pillow, trying to see the positive side of things.

"At least he left my hand free." Three hours later, exactly as he'd predicted, my hands began to shake uncontrollably, making me stop my attempts to pick the locks on my restraints. Then I began to sweat, despite the chill in the air. As the minutes ticked on my head started pounding and I was reduced to laying in a shivering, sweating mess sprawled miserably across the bed. And my condition only worsened as my painkillers once again wore off and my injuries added to my agony. When he returned I was barely coherent, capable of opening my eyes only halfway in the seemingly blinding light of the rather dim room, but I gathered the strength somehow to speak to him anyway.

"I'll do it. I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

"Glad to see you've come around," he smirked.

"Just give me the mako, boy."

"It's Reno," he replied stiffly, but still pulled out a dose of the drug anyway. Lifting my shirt again and gingerly pulling the bandages away, Reno hesitated for a moment at the old scar and the mark of the stigma that ran rampant on my skin, then looked up into my eyes. "This is probably going to be pretty-"

"-painful," I finished, my mood sour. "Can you try not to be so cliche and just do it already?" I welcomed the fire of the mako in my veins, and I waited with closed eyes for the pain to fade into the familiar serene equilibrium that came after. When the transition was complete I looked at him, sitting back in his chair waiting patiently for my end of our deal.

"What do you want?"

"Names. All of them."

"Kadaj." I paused, taking a second to recall the other two. "Yazoo... and Loz."

"Who do they work for?"

"No one... the one winged angel."

"Seph- that's impossible, he's dead. How do you even know about that?"

"I just do."

"What do you mean, 'you just do'?"

"I don't know... but it's there. I can see him as if I was there when he killed the girl..." He seemed stunned by this, but continued with his questions, ever the good interrogator.

"What are they trying to do?"

"A reunion... their mother."

"Jenova?"

"Yes."

"What'll happen if they get their hands on her?"

"If?"

"Answer me..." His voice held a warning tone of more of his so-called torture methods.

"I don't know..." I closed my eyes for a second, an image coming to me of a man I seemed to know despite never having seen him before. "...the- the one winged angel..."

"They're trying to resurrect him?"

"No, all they want is her. But I think... I think that has something to do with it." I looked over at him again. "They offered me a place in their 'reunion' you know. A kind of reward for killing you."

"You're feeling better, I see." I offered a weak smile. "What else did they say to you?"

"Not much... they called me sister..."

"You're related to them."

"No... I don't think so. I went along with it... because it seemed convenient to my own ends."

"Your ends." He sounded skeptical, so I reminded him.

"Killing you."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Why would you want to kill me? Up until the day before the boss sent us up north again, I hadn't ever seen you before."

"Are you saying you don't remember?!" I was furious, shooting forward in an attempt to grab him or hit him or something, but he pulled back as I lunged, causing me to fall over the edge of the bed and onto the floor. I was up in an instant and taking advantage of the long chain around my ankle, backing him into a corner. He was fast, I had to admit, and few of my blows hit him with more than a glancing shot, but I had him, and we both knew it. When he was finally cornered, I realized he hadn't so much as hit me once, or even tried, but in the next instant a searing pain shot through my chest and I dropped like a ton of bricks. Amazingly I managed to catch myself on one knee, but as I opened my mouth blood splattered out onto the floor.

"Shit," he muttered, coming down to my level and hoisting me up to put me back in bed. "Didn't I fucking tell you about doing stuff like this? Do you got some kind of deathwish, yo?" When I was back in place, I didn't get up again, focusing mostly on the painful act of breathing and not choking up more blood. "Now stay there and stop causing so much trouble for me."

"Fuck you," I muttered in a starined voice. He stared at me for a second, maybe surprised by my language, but then asked,

"What did I do? Cause the destruction of your formerly happy village? Rough up your father as extortion so he'd give Shinra your family's land for an electric plant or something?" I turned my head the other way.

"Screw off. If you don't remember, go think about it for a while." He probably shook his head or something like that, and I felt a small sense of disappointment when I heard the sound of the door open as he began to leave.

"You don't have anything else you want to tell me?"

"I don't have anything to say to you at all."

"Your choice." The door began to creak shut.

"Wait!"

"Hmm?" he mumbled, a surprisingly pleasant sound low in his throat.

"I told you everything, didn't I? Doesn't that mean I get to go home?"

"That was never part of the deal. Besides- I'm not satisfied that this is over, as far as you're concerned."

"Bastard."

"Call me what you want, sweetheart, I've heard them all." He paused, then spoke in a less menacing tone that I found myself thinking about long after he'd left me alone in the dank chamber. "Don't worry, Kemuri. You did pretty well this time, and I'm willing to reward that. You'll keep getting your mako."

* * *

A/N: so here's another chapter. it's been a long time, i know, but i had computer drama after computer drama. it's a long, expensive story, but please forgive me... more coming soon


	6. Chapter 6

He kept his promise, and despite being chained to a bed with the realization that they'd probably make an attempt on my life any day now, I spent the next two weeks or so in a mako fueled bliss. Even the 'torture' stopped, 'so I could heal up enough for a real beating', as Reno put it. I even got two meals a day, brought in by the resident dungeon master/waiter/doctor himself. Before I got my food, of course, he checked all my wounds and (making sure I had no means of escaping) gave me my daily mako dosage.

What was a little unnerving was that he grew increasingly silent, hardly speaking at all except for when giving me some kind of order. My natural response, once I gained the strength back to sit up, was to cause him as much annoyance as I could. At first I began by insulting him personally, calling him out just enough to make him clench that muscle in his jaw and wish he could hit me. I even managed to spit in his face once as he pulled my shirt up to check my bandages, to which he retaliated by some obscenity filled threat. All of which led me to the conclusion that he'd been put under orders not to lay a hand on me, for a while, at least.

But eventually that grew dull, and as my leg began to feel stronger, I began to work on escape attempts. I never did get fully out of my chains, but the point wasn't so much to actually get out as much as it was to give the impression that I was trying to. After all, decent medical care and enough mako to where I could've chewed my own foot off too escape and pretty much not noticed, why would I want to abandon that prematurely?

The height of this plan was reached in what I assumed was the third week of my captivity, when Reno entered with dinner to find me cross-legged on the bed trying to pick the lock on my shackle with a shiv made of the ceiling fan that I'd pulled down and demolished.

"Feeling better, I see," he sighed, shaking off the hilarious look of shock he'd had and stepping around the fan's remains to set his tray down. I simply smiled in response, calmly handing my tool over and flinching at his roughness on frisking me for other weapons.

"So what'd you bring me today? Fillet Mignon and some rather expensive champagne, I hope." I reached for the tray, but he grabbed my wrist to stop me.

"Come on, you know the routine. Food comes last. Now off," he jerked his finger up in the air, signifying that I remove my shirt. I reached down and began to comply, but stopped before the shirt came up past my chest.

"You know, I usually get dinner before I take my clothes off for a man." He rolled his eyes.

"Very funny. Now come on." I smiled at him and took the shirt off and covered my chest with my arms crossed, whispering in as innocently a voice as I could muster,

"Be gentle, I've never been with someone like you before..." He tried to hide a smirk as he sat down, undoing the bandages around my ribs.

"Someone like me?" Now I was almost unable to keep myself from laughing as I spoke.

"Yeah. You know, a-" A small giggle choked my voice off for a second, and as I finished, I burst into laughter. "- a fire crotch." He sighed again, standing up to grab the new roll of bandages and the mako injector before regaining his seat.

"Nice. Like I've never heard that one before." I flashed him another smile. "Why are you in such a good mood, anyway?"

"No reason. I just figured, it's been three weeks just about that I've been here, right?"

"And?"

"Well, considering that there were three of my 'brothers' that captured Elena and Tseng, they're probably long done with them now. And seeing as how they said they wanted me to be a part of their reunion, I guarantee that they're looking for me as we speak."

"You think those three are gonna rescue you?" He chuckled harshly. "You're dumber than I thought."

"Why's that?" I'd just been trying to make conversation, but now that he'd insulted my intelligence, I was getting a little upset.

"Besides the fact that no one can find this place, I don't ever plan on letting you go. I'll kill you before those bastards can take you back and resurrect Seph-" I interrupter him by punching him in the jaw, toppling him to the floor as I jumped on him.

"Listen here, boy. I'll have you know that I will be escaping from here, Kadaj or no. Second, YOU will not be the one killing ME, do you understand? I got away from you once, and I don't plan on making the same mistake as getting cornered by you again!"

"What the fuck are you talking about, yo?" he asked, holding one hand to his jaw. "You're a fucking psycho!"

"One more word from you, and I'll beat the life out of you RIGHT NOW!"

"Let's see you try." Before I could get another blow in, he'd pushed me backwards and jumped to his feet, pulling me up with him by my neck. I moved to kick him, but when my knee made contact with his side, the jarring pain that shot through me reminded me of my short sights in this fight. Reno hardly flinched, tightening his grip on my neck and slamming me against the wall. He smirked when I gave a small groan and bit my bottom lip, the impact making my eyes water involuntarily.

"Now look at that," he mocked. "The mighty avenger, defeated once again."

"You coward," I muttered. "You talk like you're so strong, but the only one you've bettered is a beat up, half dead captive." His smirk grew and he leaned closer to my face as I struggled to take in shallow breaths.

"You say that now, but didn't I get you on that bike, too?"

"... With a sniper... rifle and... helicopter... In a f-" I had to close my eyes to focus, and realizing how hard he must've been holding me, Reno loosened his grip slightly. "In a fair fight, I'd choke the life out of you easily." He simply made a low sound almost like a growl, and when I opened my eyes, he'd come so close our bodies were touching, me now trapped between the rough wall and the lean muscles that were apparent on Reno now even through his suit.

"That's twice you've mentioned choking me now, counting when you actually tried to. You got a thing for choking, do you?"

"Hm," I grinned. "It's one of the best ways to kill, you can feel the life leaving the body. You can't do that with a gun."

"I see. Well, tell me something, how do you like it now it's being done to you?" His hand tightened for a brief second, and my whole body involuntarily reacted, muscles tensing and making me squirm a little against him.

"I've never been so turned on in my life," I drawled. But perhaps my sarcasm failed me, because not only did it sound hollow to my ears, but Reno raised an eyebrow.

"That so?" he asked, his voice a low rumbling murmur. "Maybe I ought to stop then, didn't go through all that trouble of capturing you just so I could get you off." But he didn't let go. In fact, he didn't even seem to mind when I called him a name insulting to his manhood. He simply looked at me, and after a few moments of me scowling at his sudden refusal to play our little game of insulting each other, he moved closer still. When his mouth claimed mine I didn't act so much shocked as impatient, as if I'd been expecting him to do this for some time now. He was quick to claim dominance, his tongue exploring my mouth before he pulled back a little to bite my lower lip. It seemed that as soon as he realized what exactly we were doing he righted himself, pulling away from me quickly. He glared at me, letting go of my throat and taking a step back.

"What the hell did you do that for?!" I didn't move, keeping my back pressed against the wall as I caught my breath.

"I didn't do anything! You're the one who... who kissed me..." He shook his head in denial at the idea. Obviously he knew he'd crossed some crucial line between captive and guard, or whatever he called himself. "Look, if it's going to get you in trouble, I'll take the blame. It's too much fun pissing you off, I don't want to have to get used to someone-"

"Shut up," he growled harshly, cutting me off. When he came back toward me I readied for the blow that was sure to come, expecting at the least that he force me back into bed and leave with my dinner. But though he wrapped a hand around my neck again, I was surprised when he kissed me a second time. He was rougher than before, pulling me toward him then slamming me back against the wall. I let out a groan at the impact, and his reaction was to press closer to me, grabbing my thighs and lifting me up to support my body between himself and the wall.

His mouth moved down, biting at the skin at the base of my neck hard enough to make me gasp aloud. When he looked back up at me, there was a smirk playing at the corners of his lips, and I scowled before drawing him into a new kiss. But the new-found lust between us didn't last long, the high pitched ringing of Reno's cell phone abruptly cutting it short. He dropped me to my feet so quickly that I barely had time to land without falling, and answered the phone calmly.

"Reno." I couldn't hear what was being said on the other end of the line, but judging by the look on his face, it wasn't good. He crossed to the far side of the room, muttering in his attempt to keep me from hearing. "No, I- _we_ can still use her." So Shinra wanted to kill me. Moving silently and quickly, I scooped up a mostly intact fan blade and swung it like a baseball bat, connecting with the back of his head. He hit the ground with a thud, and I crouched next to him to search his pockets for the keys I'd need to escape. But as I reached into the interior of his jacket, his hand shot up and grabbed my arm. I stifled a shriek and looked up to his face to find him glaring at me.

"You really think I'd go down that easy?" I tried to pull free of him, but his grip was too strong, and he jerked me closer to him. "That really hurt you know."

"Let go of me," I muttered, "I'm getting out of here."

"Now why would I let you do that? I thought you would've learned by now, it's my job to keep you _in_ here."

"Shinra's going to-" But my voice was cut off by the muffled sound of an explosion. Reno let go of me and sat up, and both of us turned toward the door.

"What was that?" we asked, almost in unison. I glanced back at him and he pushed to his feet, shoving me behind him as I did the same. He pulled his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door, turning back to face me with a vaguely uneasy look on his face.

"Stay here. I'll be back in a minute."

"You can't lock me in here, what if the place burns down or-" the door slammed shut, cutting the rest of my sentence short. I sat down on the bed with a sigh, unable to do anything but wait. More than five minutes of silence had passed before I heard any other noises from outside, but this didn't sound like the footsteps of my captor. To be honest, it sounded more like... fighting. I stood and crossed the room, cautiously pressing my ear to the door. Everything seemed to go silent just as I did, and I pulled away, just as the door exploded inward, throwing me backward and tumbling across the bed to collide with the far wall. In the few moments it took for my vision and the dust to clear, a figure stepped through the doorway, standing at the edge of the bed.

"We got tired of waiting for you, sister." I sat up and shook the dizziness from my head.

"...Kadaj?" He grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet, brushing some of the dust off of my shoulders and back.

"You didn't think we'd leave you, did you?" He flashed an unnerving smile and led me out the blasted doorway. Loz was waiting just in the hallway, looking as excited as ever.

"They didn't hurt her, did they, Kadaj? If they hurt sister, I'll have to-"

"I'm fine," I interrupted, "Just get me out of here." I trailed the pair of them through a maze of hallways and staircases until we reached the ground floor. I had to shield my eyes at first, unaccustomed to the bright light of the sun, but I dropped my hand to my side in surprise as we came upon our third sibling. He was standing over the bloodied form of Reno, who looked as if he was struggling to rise to his feet. As he supported himself on his hands and began to climb to his knees, Yazoo kicked him in the stomach and looked up as the Turk collapsed back to the floor.

"You found her." Kadaj said something, but I was staring at Reno. My first urge was to drop to the floor next to him and help him, but when he looked up at me and grinned cockily, I was overcome by my normal disgust. All my pity gone out the window, I turned away from him and back to my rescuers.

"...he didn't cry, did he?" Yazoo finished up, obviously mocking Loz. The larger man pouted, crossing his arms, and Kadaj ignored the jab, placing a hand on the small of my back and guiding me toward him.

"Yazoo, Loz, we're leaving." He turned and said in a softer tone in my ear, "You probably want a bath and a good night's sleep. Torture _can_ be exhausting." Feeling a chill run down my spine at his tone, I glanced over to Reno, who'd pulled himself over to sit slouched with his back against the wall, wiping blood from his face with his ripped shirt sleeve.

"It was. Not that you could really call it torture... unless you count the company I was forced to keep." Kadaj let out a low chuckle, Loz snorted and let a wide grin spread across his face, and Yazoo only let the corner of his lips twitch.

"Well, I promise you won't be bored in our company," Kadaj said again in my ear, then turned back to his long haired sibling. "Yazoo, finish him and we'll be on our way." Yazoo raised his gun, leveling it at Reno, but I interrupted.

"Wait!" All attention was on me, and I slipped from Kadaj's grasp. "You said I could have him, you can't take that back now." I crossed the room and put a hand on Yazoo's arm, feeling it tense up as I lowered his weapon gently. Still unsure of what exactly I was doing, I stepped in front of the beaten Turk, crouching down so I was at his eye level.

"Besides, to kill him now would be too easy. I'd be ashamed to admit I won in an unfair fight... like killing a turtle on its back." I leaned forward and ran my fingertips down his cheek, stopping to wipe a little blood from his lip with my thumb. "I'll have him in my own time, but for now, I want to let him live." Reno never broke eye contact with me, and when I stood, the redhead's discarded jacket in hand, my brothers had much the same skeptical look he'd had.

"Are you sure that's a wise choice?" Yazoo asked lowly, still looking thrown off by the physical contact I'd made with him. I smiled warmly at him.

"Of course I am. I like to play with them a little before I crush them. And when I make a promise," I paused and let the smile drop into a serious expression, "I _always_ keep it." Bearing the ache of supporting my weight on my bad leg, I spun and kicked the Turk across the face, knocking him immediately unconscious. He slumped to the floor and I moved back to Kadaj's side, now limping slightly.

"You know, brother, I think I would like that bath. And maybe a real, hot meal?" I slipped Reno's jacket on over the dirty, mid thigh length shirt that had served as my entire wardrobe the last weeks. He slid his arm back into place, the two of us leading the way toward the door with our sides noticeably touching.

"I'd be happy to help you with that." As we emerged from the building I realized we were near the eastern coast of the grasslands. There were four bikes parked close to the door of the inconsequential warehouse that my prison appeared to be from the outside, the fourth assumedly Reno's. Stopping next to it as the others put their weapons away and climbed on, I felt surprisingly guilty taking it. Instead I continued on to stand next to Kadaj as he watched me with a curious look.

"Is there something wrong with the bike?" I shook my head, trying to look innocent.

"You were right about me being tired. I don't think I could drive, to be honest, I might fall asleep... I thought maybe I could ride with you?" He stared at me for a long moment, then smiled.

"Of course." Giving a weak smile in return, I climbed on behind him, and we took off. The ride was silent, and within a few minutes the combination of the salt sea air and the hum and vibration of Kadaj's motorcycle I started actually feeling drowsy. Bringing my hands from holding loosely onto his hips, I wrapped my arms around his waist and settled my head onto his back. I could feel him shift and glance back at me, but I closed my eyes on the world that was speeding past us. He smelled like leather and cologne. It was a bit strong, and once again I was struck by how childlike these three were, the 'leader' dousing himself like a kid who'd found his father's after shave. Something about it though, was strangely comforting, and before I realized it, I was dropping off to sleep.

* * *

A/N: currently editing and polishing the next chapter, including the return and the appearance of some well known characters... followed then by some (hot?) redhead dirtyness.... its taking a while for me to write that though, i've never been good at writing the dirty bits... how's this, leave me a review and let me know how glazed over or in depth this should be, and I'll see if i need to recruit some help...


	7. Chapter 7

I heard those voices again as sleep slowly fell away from me. Mumbling incoherently, to me at least, just loud enough to annoy. I opened my eyes to surprising brightness, wincing as I sat up but happily surprised to find myself in my own bed. The voices continued, the telltale exchange of three voices I knew as my 'brothers', most likely in the kitchen, just down the hall from my bedroom door. The sun was almost completely set, and as the lights in the city began to flicker to life, I decided to let my siblings believe I was asleep for a bit longer. Quietly stripping off the jacket and shirt I'd been wearing for much too long, I crossed to my bathroom, locking myself in. A quick and scalding shower later I felt some semblance of cleanliness, and stood in front of the closet.

"Damn," I swore under my breath, "That bastard got my favorite jacket."

"... And your gun." I jumped and spun around, not having noticed another presence in the room.

"Kadaj! What are you doing in here?"

"I was checking on you. Your injuries were pretty serious, and you'd been asleep for quite a while." His sentiments didn't sound quite convincing, and suddenly uncomfortable being closed in with him, I snugged my towel tighter around my body.

"I'm fine, this was nothing, really." He crossed the room quickly and stopped in front of me, a soft yet eerie smile sneaking over his lips.

"Relax, I'm just worried about my dear little sister." He tilted my chin up gently with one hand, and I turned away from him quickly to avoid him and anything he might decide to try and do.

"Listen here, kid, I don't know how young you think I am, but there's no way you're older than me." I started rifling through my clothes, pulling out a deep purple dress and turning back and stepping around him. "You've gotta be what, sixteen, tops?" He didn't respond, and in the silence his first statement really dawned on my and I threw my dress on the bed. "Damnit! My fucking gun! _And_ my knife!"

"And you got this under your door." He held an envelope over my shoulder, and I tore it open with a creeping sense of doom.

It was a formal letter from the Shinra Electric Power Company, notifying me of my termination of employment.

"They sure are courteous about it," Kadaj murmured, so close I could feel his breath on my shoulder. I crumpled the letter and dropped it to the floor, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I need a drink." Not in the mood to play his flirty little game any more, or perhaps now in the mood to do just that, I took a small step back, bumping gently into him. I turned, giving a light gasp, and put a hand on his chest, shoving him playfully back a step. I sidestepped and crossed to the dresser, pulling out clean under garments and dropping those on the bed as well.

"Kadaj, you shouldn't stand so close behind me like that. A girl could get the wrong idea."

"And what... would the _wrong_ idea be?" He smiled. I paused in front of him for a moment before dropping to sit on the edge of the bed. Smiling back, I began to brush my hair out, acting indifferent to our current positions, though I knew he was well aware of them.

"Well, a lady wouldn't say. And being your dear little sister, I wouldn't want to embarrass myself by saying something I thought you intended and it turn out to be just my imagination." He bent over, supporting himself with one hand on either side of me on the mattress, looking steadily into my eyes.

"Then maybe your idea isn't so far off. Maybe... I intend all of the things you're imagining... and more." My smile grew, and I threw him off by leaning forward and quickly kissing him on the forehead.

"Oh, Kadaj, I do love our brother-sister moments. You're so funny." I pushed him back and stood again. "No go on out there with the others so I can get dressed, okay?" He obeyed, but stopped just before closing the door behind him.

"I figured you'd want a few days of privacy, so we'll be leaving for now. I've taken the liberty of leaving you enough mako for quite a while, it's in the night stand there. Yazoo had the idea to get you a cell phone, so we can reach you without wasting the drive, and Loz was excited enough to get you a present of his own. Do remember to thank them next time, yes?"

With that, he was gone, and I waited until I heard the front door close before going back to my routine. Once I was dressed I trudged out to the hallway, my sense of doom back full force. What was I doing with these boys, after all? Working on some ancient vendetta that had almost killed me twice, not to mention lost me my jacket and my favorite weapons? Not exactly a worthwhile life plan.

'Look on the bright side,' a little voice in my head piped up, 'you almost got laid.'

"Tch," I replied out loud. "Almost. And by that asshole, too. Doesn't count as a bright side in my book." I came around the corner into the kitchen and immediately smiled. In the childish display of what only could be Loz's present, my gun and knife were on the table, the latter jammed into a crude carving of Reno that had been etched into the wood. Draped over the back of the chair was my holster, no favorite jacket by far, but I was still overjoyed. Pulling on shoes and a black sweater, I tucked my new cell in one pocket and some cash in the the other, and headed out into the night.

***

"Hi, welcome to the Seventh Heaven, I'll be right with you," Tifa called from the far end of the bar as I sat down. The place was pretty full tonight, and I had to admit that she must be one tough woman to handle the place by herself. Leaning my elbows on the bar, I waited for her to come back my way, and when she did, a smile bloomed on her face.

"Oh, it's you! How's your hand?" At first I didn't even remember the slight injury I'd gotten weeks ago, so much had happened since then, but then I snapped back and held up the hand, displaying it for her.

"Told you I was fine," I grinned back.

"Good! What'll it be?"

"... Whiskey. Make it a double."

"Another tough day at work?" She commented as she poured my drink and handed it to me.

"You could say so." I downed half of it quickly, setting the glass down on the bar. "I got fired."

"Oh, that's too bad. Listen, drinks are on the house tonight, okay?"

"You don't have to do that-"

"I insist." Someone called for her across the room, and she excused herself, hurrying off to keep up her work. I emptied my glass and leaned forward again, resting my chin on my hand. The next few hours passed quickly as I sat at the bar, watching the crowd change and slowly diminish. Eventually the Seventh Heaven was nearly empty again, and I realized it was almost closing time.

"So, what'd you do to get fired?" I looked up from my glass to find Tifa leaning against the bar in front of me. I took a drink and felt myself sway on my stool a little, then said completely honestly,

"I held my boss at gun point." She looked at me for a second, then started laughing. The sound was contagious, and soon I was laughing too, and Tifa replied in between giggles,

"I'll remember not to upset you." After a minute, we were both able to calm down, and though she offered me another drink, I turned her down, getting to my feet.

"I'm gonna get going. I've got a day of job hunting tomorrow, after all, and I don't want to be too hung over." I turned from the bar.

"Hey, wait a minute umm..." I turned back.

"Kemuri." She held out a hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Kemuri. I'm Tifa." I shook her hand, and she continued. "Listen, if you need a job, and you don't mind a few rowdy drunks every now and then, do you want to help out around here?"

"Really? You'd hire me?" She smiled and laughed gently.

"Well, it's not so much hiring as bribing you to help me out, really. The pay's not much, but I could use a hand. Lately it's been getting pretty busy, and you'll probably make plenty on tips alone. Plus it's only at night, so if you find something else during the day, it won't interfere."

"You had me at bribing..." She laughed again, and I smiled back. "I'd love to help out, it's got to be a lot of work. Especially with your kids and all."

"Oh, Marlene and Denzel. Well, they're good kids, but-"

"They're kids. I get it. So when can I start?"

"You want to come up tomorrow around four so I can show how everything's set up?"

"Sounds good to me." I turned and headed for the door, pausing as the cool night air buffeted me from outside. "I'll see you tomorrow. Can't thank you enough, Tifa." She gave me a smile and a wave, then moved on to another customer, and I walked around to the alley where I'd parked my scooter. Driving slower than usual I made sure to swerve as little as possible after my night out, finally arriving home and climbing into bed, falling asleep again within minutes.

***

The next few days I spent getting used to how the Seventh Heaven ran, but the work wasn't so bad split between the two of us. Tifa was right about making plenty on tips, not that any young female would stay poor what with most of the regulars being men. I wasn't rich, by far, but I had enough to keep my apartment. The strangest thing was as days stretched into a week, Tifa started acting more and more like she was my mother or something, and I heard not a word from my so called brothers. Or Shinra, for that matter. But that's not to say things stayed boring for long.

Not by a long shot.

"Say, Kemuri, you never told me what happened to your leg," Tifa called from the far side of the smoky room. I stood behind the bar, wiping it down with a rag as Tifa did the same at one of the tables. It was still just before opening in the evening, and the two of us were alone and Marlene was upstairs with Denzel while he slept.

"It was a motorcycle accident. I'm lucky I got off with just a little limp, it's healing pretty quickly."

"No kidding." She paused and looked up at me. "Not many people have cycles these days, I didn't know you had one."

"I don't. I was hitching a ride back from a trip up north."

"Oh, I see. What happened?"

"The driver just... lost control We ran off the road, and I woke up a few hours later. It took me forever to get back." I laughed a little at the last comment, trying to break the uncomfortable silence as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Did he..." I nodded, turning my back to polish some spots on the mirror behind the bar. "I guess you're lucky to be alive, then." Uncomfortable in the solemn mood our conversation had caused, I smiled a little.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm tougher than I look... Not as tough as you, though." Tifa's good cheer was back in an instant.

"Oh, I'm not that tough. You make me sound like some kind of, I dunno-"

"Please, I saw you kick those guys out last night. You must have one mean left hook." She laughed.

"Anyone could have done that..."

"Not with this bum leg," I replied, laughing as well. She finished and joined me behind the bar.

"I don't know, you're pretty intimidating, Kemuri. Like when you said you'd held your boss up... I almost believe you." We both burst into laughter again, but the sound was cut short when the door slammed open. I jumped, but Tifa turned calmly to face the newcomer who'd stepped in from the street. "You know, if you came by more often, you wouldn't forget how light the door is." He didn't say anything, just sat down on a stool in front of us, propped his elbows on the bar, and hung his head in his hands. From this position, he muttered miserably,

"Who's that?" Tifa glanced at me and mumbled,

"Can you get a glass of water for him?" then back to the man. "This is Kemuri. She's helping out around the bar... Cloud, are you okay?" When she leaned forward and touched his arm gently, he pulled back out of her reach, sparking what made Tifa look like she was about to cry. I already wasn't liking this guy, whoever he was. I mean he couldn't be good news if, from the moment he walks in the door, Tifa's suddenly almost as depressed as him, right?

"I'm fine." But as I came back toward them I realized he wouldn't make eye contact with her, and his face looked pale and strained. I set the glass down in front of him, and as he grabbed for it, our fingers touched. I froze, feeling a new sense of uneasiness and Cloud looked up, our eyes locking for a brief second before we both jerked away.

"You're..." Before he could say anything else the door opened again, and a voice called out.

"Kemuri! Our favorite new barmaid in all of Edge!" Four men came in, sitting around one of the tables, and I quickly crossed to them, putting on a smile.

"Now you guys know as well as I do that I'm no match for Tifa!" They all starting laughing.

"Yeah, but none of us would call her a barmaid!" After a quick comeback from me, I waited for the laughter to die down and took their orders, noticing Tifa coming around the bar and standing next to Cloud. She spoke lowly to him for a moment, flinching when he roughly grabbed her wrist and stood. There was a second of hesitation, then she sighed a little and lead him upstairs and out of sight. As the night progressed, neither of them reappeared, but I was too busy on my own to go looking for a reason why.

By one, my mysteriously absent friend returned, looking a little flushed and more than a little sad, and I was back to just handling the tables while she took care of the bar. Though this Cloud character made no other appearance that night, my less than pleasant opinions of him were cemented. There was now no doubt that he was the cause of Tifa's disturbed mood, and though I could hardly say I'd known the woman for long, she was far too kind of a person to deserve being taken advantage of. Which was what things looked like they were shaping up to be. Besides, he was just plain weird, and I was pretty sure that whether he knew it or not, my recent standards would require me to call him my brother.

By the time I made it back for opening the next day, his bike was gone, and the last vestiges of Tifa's genuinely good mood with it.

The start of that weekend, I got up early and decided to spend some of my hard earned money by actually buying some food and being able to eat at home. As I emerged from a small shop, I almost dropped my bulging bag of groceries upon seeing a familiar face across the street. Lounging against a corner sign post, scanning the crowd lazily as as he twirled his EMR in one hand was none other than my old... acquaintance- Reno.

Suddenly apprehensive, I walked quickly in the other direction, praying that he hadn't seen me as I ducked into another nearby building. I was looking out the windows to make sure he wasn't following me when a voice sounded behind me.

"Hello, how can I help you today?" I turned, faced with a young woman wearing an apron with several pairs of scissors and clips tucked in its pocket.

"I, uh-"

"D'you want a haircut? Or color maybe?" Glancing back at the street outside once more, I nodded, following her to a chair.

"Yeah. A haircut..." She stood behind me, the two of us making eye contact in the mirror.

"So, what'll it be? Just a trim or something more drastic?" I shrugged.

"I don't know. Surprise me." It took almost forty five minutes, but when she finally spun me back to face the mirror, I hardly recognized myself, and a smile crept onto my face. Standing up and grabbing my bag as I handed the girl some money, I nodded my head at her expectant face.

"Thank you. It's just what I needed." I was startled at the sudden lack of weight as I stepped back onto the street and a breeze threw my hair into my face and chilled the back of my neck, and I paused to look at my reflection in the glass of another store front. Though short enough for the nape of my neck to be seen from behind, I retained my bangs, and the front of the cut left my hair long enough to reach almost to my shoulders. Except for the fact that I had kept the same pale blond color, I hardly looked like myself at all. I smiled at the prospect, hefted my bag higher up in my grasp, and headed home.... though still took the long way around, just to be careful.

* * *

A/N: so here it is. not the promised dirtiness, but I couldn't make the chapters that long. turns out i'm writing more than i thought. anyway, about that dirtyness... i've (kinda) written it, but there's like no detail at all. as i mentioned last time, let me know if you'd like me to go more into it, as it kind skis the actual deed as of now. and then of course, if any of you's can help with writing it, that would be lovely... but please please please review and let me know either way. well then, till next time, ja ne!


	8. Chapter 8

"Kemuri, is that you? You look like a totally different person!" I smiled and stowed my helmet behind the bar.

"You like it?"

"It looks great!" I thanked her and humbly accepted the compliments and comments from the usual patrons all through the evening, hearing them less and less as business increased, whether they were still being said or not. As I carried a heavily laden tray balanced easily on one palm across the room, a voice called from behind me.

"Hey sweetheart, how about a little service over here?" I turned, already plastering a helpful smile on my lips.

"Of course, I'll be with you in just a-" but I stopped, almost dropping the whole tray when my eyes met with the man who'd been asking for me. Reno slouched in his chair, shirt unbuttoned just enough to make him look disheveled, and held one hand in the air to get my attention. As I stuttered and floundered in my shock, he seemed not to recognize me, waving his hand a little.

"That's right, honey, right over here." I spun my back to him, quickly handing out the drinks I'd already brought to the other patrons, then returned to his table, wary of making eye contact lest his memory of me return.

"What can I get you?"

"Bourbon. Straight." He hesitated. "Make it a double. And a beer." I nodded, hurrying away and filling the order and bringing it back to him. I set the glasses on the table, and with the last one, I nearly jumped out of my skin as the redhead's slender hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

"You're shaking." I was suddenly unable to form a response, left staring dumbly at him. "I'm guessing Lockheart told you about me, then... you don't have anything to worry about. I've got something else on my mind tonight." He let go and I took a step back, startled anew when he let out a harsh chuckle. "You can go now, I'll call you when I need more." I've never walked so fast, bracing myself on the bar and letting out a held breath when I was behind it.

"You okay?" Tifa asked as she poured a drink and handed it to me. "You look shaken up." I took the drink gratefully, downing it in one gulp, then putting a smile back on.

"It's nothing. Just busy tonight, is all." She nodded and said something in response, but I didn't hear it, already looking back across the room as a few people looked around for a new round. It took quite a while for me to finally relax when serving Reno his drinks, but as he kept a steady pace through the night, I found myself pretty amazed that someone could drink so much without blacking out. As the crowd began to thin out and only a few dedicated late nighters waited for last call to roll around, I set a cup of coffee in front of the well drunk redhead.

"What's this?" he slurred. "It ain't last call yet." I scooted the mug forward.

"It is for you. Now sober up a little so you can walk home." His brow furrowed.

"I rode my bike here." Sighing, I glanced back at the bar, where Tifa waved me on, setting up the last few at the bar to leave as well.

"You're too drunk to drive on your own. You can come back for it in the morning." He suddenly stood, his chair nearly tipping and his voice dropping to a low grumble. His hand gripped my wrist so tightly I clenched my teeth to avoid wincing.

"You know, all of this kicking me out business is really going to effect your tip, Kemuri." He took a sip of the coffee, keeping it in his slightly shaking hand.

"So you recognized me," I tried to play it cool.

"Did you think a little haircut was gonna fool me?" He took a step forward, and I tried to wrench my hand from his grasp, making him stumble and drop the mug to shatter on the floor. Tifa was at my side in an instant, scowling at Reno.

"Oh, it's you again." She cracked her knuckles. "Do you want me to take care of him?" I stumbled over my own thoughts for a few seconds, then surprised myself.

"No! No, it was my fault, I dropped the cup. He's fine, just about to leave." She looked skeptical, but turned and headed back to the bar, scolding him as she went.

"I told you about getting so drunk in my bar...." I looked back over at him, a smirk on his lips as he let go of me.

"So you stood up for me, huh? Think that makes up for the knife? Or that kick to the face?" I smiled sweetly, bending to pick up the larger pieces of the broken cup.

"As if I care how much you like me." He sat, slouching back and letting his grin spread.

"So you're just hot for me then?" I shot to my feet, but froze, feeling him run his hand lightly up and down my leg just underneath the hem of my skirt. "I'll tell you what, sweetheart, let's make a deal. You get me _and_ my bike home, and I won't tell Tseng I found you here. How's that sound?" I looked up, making eye contact with him just as Tifa called over to us,

"Oh, Kemuri, get his cell phone and tell me his partner's number, I'm going to give him a call so he can pick Reno up. It should be in there as Rude." Reno flashed me another smile and I cracked.

"Actually Tifa... if it's okay, I was going to take off a bit early tonight and take him home myself."

"You know where he lives?"

"Yeah, we uh, used to be neighbors. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. Just... be careful." I smiled briefly, waiting for Reno to stand, but he wavered so badly that I had to walk close behind him, holding a hand out when we reached his motorcycle. As he fumbled through his pockets he raised an eyebrow at me.

"What?"

"I told you, you're not driving." He laughed, stumbling back a step as he threw his head back.

"I am **not** riding bitch."

"Then I guess you can walk next to me. Give me the keys." He finally found them, dangling them in the air, then clenching them in his fist.

"No." I closed the distance between us and grabbed his wrist, intending to force the keys from his hand, but as I did he again surprised me with his lucidity after drinking so much. In a swift movement that I hardly had time to register, Reno had wrapped his other arm around my waist and pulled my body flush against his, dropping his head so it nearly rested on my shoulder. For a few moments he said nothing, only swaying on his feet enough for me to laugh at the fleeting thought that it felt like dancing with him, then I squeezed his wrist harder and twisted it. When I felt him flinch, I mumbled to him,

"What do you think you're doing? Let go... and give me the keys." He pressed his cheek closer to mine.

"That'll cost you," he murmured, pressing his hand harder into my back.

"Reno..." I warned.

"Give me a kiss, and you can drive." I poorly stifled a small gasp, and when I pulled back enough to see his face, he was smirking, the playful albeit glazed over glint back in his eyes. "Just one. And don't act like you don't want to." After a few seconds of unsuccessfully trying to stare him down, I sighed my defeat, pressed my eyes shut and pressed my lips quickly to his. It was as his free hand let go of my waist and held my face to his that I realized my mistake. Of course he would pull something like this, he wouldn't dare let me get away without at least-

My eyes flew open and I tore away, leaving him with a wide grin on his face. Still smiling and not breaking eye contact, this time Reno grabbed my wrist, placing his keys firmly into my palm. When he let go I turned quickly to the bike and got on, feeling the weight shift as he climbed on behind me.

"It's the second key. The biggest one." Soon the vehicle roared to life, and he leaned close against my back to slur directions in my ear as we sped through the empty streets. Finally he pointed a building out, and an out of the way spot where I pulled to a stop and turned off the motorcycle.

"You kissed me back, you know," he said just as silence filled the air again. I felt my face flush, and climbed off the bike with incredible speed, speaking through gritted teeth.

"Shut up and tell me which one's yours. I want to get home sometime tonight too." As he lead the way inside and up a rather long staircase, I noticed that he was getting progressively worse, and by the time we reached his floor he could barely stand on his own at all. How I managed to find the right key for his door and open it while simultaneously holding him up is a mystery to me, but soon enough I was half dragging, half carrying him into his bedroom. I kicked the door open, stopping a just inside to shift his weight higher up onto my shoulders. At the sight, Reno smiled again and slumped even lower resting his head against the side of mine. Shrugging him off, I let him drop onto the bed. He sat up groggily, still watching me with a glint in his eye.

"Put some pajamas on, or whatever it is you do, okay? I'll be back in a minute." I turned my back and started back out the door.

"You're not leaving?" I sighed.

"Not until you've promised to keep up your end of our bargain." I stepped out and closed the door behind myself, headed toward the kitchen. It took a bit of searching, but I found a clean glass and ran some water in it, draining it then dropping my hand to the counter, eyes closed. As I leaned heavily on my hands against the sink, the slight tinkling of the glass against cheap plastic countertop was the only outward sign of my small mental breakdown- I was shaking again.

'_I... I _did_ kiss him back. Why the _hell_ did I kiss him back?_' I took a deep breath and tipped my head back letting it out toward the ceiling in a heavy humph. '_Probably the same reason I kissed him before... he's-_' Once again my thoughts were cut short when an all too familiar weight pressed against me from behind, pushing me into the counter. For a few seconds, I neither moved or spoke, frozen wide eyed as his hands settled on the counter on either side of me and his uneven breaths broke humidly on my neck. Then he leaned forward, whispering once more into my ear.

"You look so sexy standing there like that."

"Reno-"

"I want you." I turned my head away from him.

"Reno!"

"Now." He grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face him, leaning against me so heavily I couldn't move. This close, I could tell he wasn't joking. I glanced down, realizing his 'pajamas' consisted of nothing but a dark pair of those underwear halfway between boxers and briefs, and they were not hiding much. I looked back up, a faint blush now burning my ears and making my heart pound as he continued. "I've wanted you since I saw you in that office." Unable to keep from smiling a little at his sudden change in behavior, I laughed softly.

"I guess so. You know, I never liked guys like you. Way too forward... like you know a girl will say yes." He smiled back, a gesture I felt against my cheek more than saw.

"You did say yes." I put a hand tentatively on his chest, pushing away slightly.

"See what I mean? You're too cocky." He chuckled, and I rolled my eyes at the innuendo.

"You can't tell me you haven't at least thought about it, Kemuri." A chill tore down my spine at the sound of my name slurring from his lips, and I was sure he'd noticed. "I may drink, but my memory works fine. You didn't put up much of a fight a few weeks ago. Or earlier tonight."

"Reno..." Lately that was all I seemed able to get out. He pulled back and looked me in the eyes.

"You know, I've been beating myself up for not going through with this when I had you as a... captive audience."

'_Going through with wha_-' I had the time only to think most of the sentence before his mouth was on mine once more. At first I did nothing, waiting with the hope that perhaps in his drunken state he'd give up on me or at the very least I would feel nothing like first time he'd cornered me this way. But in moments, both of my hopes were dashed and I raised both my hands, burying them in the disheveled hair and pulling him closer to me. The longer we continued this way, the more I hated him, and the more I hated him, the more heated my lust became. He let go of the counter and wrapped both arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him, but in a few seconds his balance failed and I was squashed between him and the counter as his hands began to roam.

My first reaction when said hands started unbuttoning my shirt was anger, one quickly dissipated by the heavy taste of alcohol and cigarettes that invaded my mouth as his tongue forced its way in. My own hands slid down his neck and back, then running back up lightly enough to make him shiver and groan as he broke the kiss. Thinking he was done, I opened my eyes, only to realize he'd finished his clumsy work with my shirt, now unbuttoned and pulled half untucked from my skirt. As his mouth worked its way down my jaw line and along my collarbone I let out a small moan, making him stop for a moment, then bite down on the spot. Finally put over the edge, I grabbed a handful of his hair again, hauling the Turk up to eye level. I'm sure the surprised look on his face was caused by the greenish glow my mako tainted eyes were giving off in the dark, but I could no more stop myself from this now than could Reno have claimed his hair was black.

"Reno..." I growled, my voice a foreign, throaty sound. His brows furrowed further, but I gave him no time to think as I roughly kissed him, biting his lip as I pulled back. One hand came up and touched the place I'd bit, fingertips coming away with blood on them. As he stared dumbly at the red liquid, my fingers traced the angry red scar in his shoulder, the still healing remnant my knife had left. Apparently the are was still tender, for he let his breath out in a sharp hiss, my intentions finally becoming clear in his hindered mind.

"Oh, that's how it is, then," He grinned, wrapping one slender hand around my neck. Only now after a quick rough kiss in return, he turned and hurled me forward, so unexpected that I stumbled and fell on the worn rug in his living room. Before I could get up, he was at my side, taking his own handful of my hair and pulling me up enough to knee me in the stomach. I fell back to the floor, grabbing his leg in an attempt to pull him down as well, but he shook free, picking me up like baggage and hefting me over his shoulder. I looked up, still not quite sure I knew what I was doing, but far past caring as my heart seemed about to burst out of my chest and a throbbing need built up inside me. At least this time, no cell phone would interrupt. Hopefully.

***

The bed was too soft, not my own, I thought as I drifted up from sleep. And there was someone beside me, breathing slowly and evenly, still lost to unconsciousness. I opened my eyes reluctantly as my memory of the last events of the night came back to me, finding myself on my stomach, my only cover a thin white sheet. I turned my head, coming face to face with the Turk, the cause of all of my problems of late, sleeping peacefully like a baby. A very disturbed, perverse baby. Rolling over and sitting up slowly, I pulled the sheet up to cover my nudity, looking around for my clothes, discarded at the side of the bed. As I began to slide out of bed, muscles already protesting to the movement, I knew that in the morning I would have at least a few bruises to show for this little lapse in judgment. But as my feet hit the cold of the uncovered wooden floor, a hand snaked out and grabbed my wrist.

"Going somewhere?" When I glanced back, his eyes were still closed, but there was no doubt he was awake, and infinitely more sober than a few hours earlier. Just the heat of his hand on my arm re-ignited a small spark in me, and I shook my head.

"Not if you've got a reason for me to stay." I slid back into the bed next to him, the saner parts of me screaming for me to just get up and leave, if not excuse myself and come back with a weapon of some kind. But I did none of these, watching that stupid smirk of his until his eyes opened, revealing the faded luminescence of his own mako influence. They sure weren't sleepy, and he seemed to have read my earlier thoughts when he murmured,

"What do you say we add to those bruises of yours?" I looked away, wondering how many times he'd said that to someone, but as he rolled on top of me and kissed the spot just below my ear, I stopped caring. My hands found him again even with my eyes closed, and just before he delivered the blow to my still bruised ribs that would mark the start of our third encounter that night, he whispered almost innocently,

"You're welcome to stay the night, you know. Don't have to sneak out like a burglar."

* * *

A/N: well, I uh, did my best. without specification on the uh.... level of specification i should use. like i said, not much detail, but i hope you like it anyway. 'til next time....


	9. Chapter 9

The sun came in harsh through the thin curtains, burning bright and red through my closed eyelids. I groaned softly and rolled away from the light, curling further into the warm recesses of this unfamiliar bed. But soon enough I opened my eyes, once again face to face with the sleeping turk by my side. In the morning light he looked more run-down, dark circles under his eyes, and what the night before had looked like flawless porcelain skin was a more washed out, tired color. It was evident that he'd not been sleeping much, or drinking a lot. Or both.

Reminding myself that it was really none of my concern, I closed my eyes again, only for a silly little electronic tune to tear through the silence of the room. After a bewildered moment, I recognized the sound as my unused cell phone, and I rolled quickly to pick it up off of the floor before it woke up my companion.

"Hello?" I mumbled, still a bit sluggish.

"Oh, you sound so groggy, sister, after your long night. I do apologize if I woke you." Kadaj sounded as flippant as ever. "I can only imagine the work you went through last night, with the red haired man... Did he give you any trouble?"

"Listen, it's early, and I'm not exactly a morning person. What is it?"

"Right to the point as always. Well, we're setting our plans into motion soon, and there's one more gift we need to give you before you can truly take part in the reunion. I'm going to be in town today, and I'll pick you up. You'll need a few days, so you might want to arrange for that."

"Where are we going?" He laughed lightly, giving me chills.

"Home, of course. Be sure to pack a few extra changes of clothes, you'll want to look nice. I'll see you, then." His lack of farewell threw me, and for a few more moments I sat with the phone to my ear as if he would say something else. I only finally reacted when a warm hand ran up my back, coming to rest on my shoulder.

"Urgent business?" I rolled back to look at him, supported on one elbow while I pulled the covers over myself.

"Up already? I thought you would have a pretty bad hangover, after last night."

"Huh... Do me a favor, and don't shout, yo." He muttered. I swallowed a chuckle, and lowered my voice to an almost whisper.

"I figured. You really shouldn't drink so much, you know." He sagged back down and rolled onto his stomach, muffling his voice in his pillow.

"Yeah, yeah. You sound just like Rude." There was an awkward moment of quiet, then I broke it.

"I have to go." He turned his head enough to peek at me with one eye.

"Where?"

"That's none of your business, I'm afraid."

"Is it Kadaj's business?" My voice grew stern.

"It's my business. Look, you just go back to sleep, and when you wake up I'll be gone and there'll be a pot of coffee waiting for you, okay? How's that sound?" He snuggled further into the bed, almost disappearing beneath the covers.

"Yes, mother." His sarcasm never failed. Struggling not to roll my eyes, I slid from the bed and finally pulled my clothes back on, facing away from the bed to hide the burning blush on my cheeks as I knew he was watching me. When I finally finished, running my fingers through my hair to straighten it out a little, his words stopped me one more time.

"Kemuri... leave your phone number on the counter?" He sounded unsure, no doubt something new to him.

"Why would I do that? Now that we've both held up our ends of the deal, I'm willing to forget you ever existed, if you'll do the same for me. No more keeping tabs on each other, no more living on edge. There's no reason to ever see one another again."

"I can think of a reason." If I didn't feel sympathetic about his hangover, I might have hit him then.

"I'm going," I sighed.

"I guess I'll just have to keep coming to the bar, then." I clenched my jaw shut to keep from reacting, and left, still making the coffee I'd promised before trudging back to the bar to pick up my scooter.

Of course, Tifa was awake, cleaning and making breakfast for the two kids seated at the bar. Without going into much detail, I explained how Reno had gotten sick and as a good ex neighbor and all around nice person, I had stayed the night and slept on the couch to take care of the poor drunk thing. She rolled her eyes, giving a laugh and a smart comment back about him hitting on me, and I laughed as well, trying not to blush again and give myself away. But after a few more minutes of idle chatter with both her and the children, I got to my point.

"Um, Tifa, I know this is kind of sudden, but I need a couple of days off."

"Really? For what?"

"... Family business. It's kind of personal, but I have to go visit my brothers..."

"Oh. Well, don't worry about it. How long do you think it'll be?"

"Uhh... about a week or so?" She smiled knowingly, as if this family business was a completely normal thing.

"Sure thing. I'll see you next week, then?"

"Yeah." I stood and turned to go. "Thanks, Tifa, you're the best boss I've ever had."

"You're too nice. Go on now, before I start blushing."

By the time I got back to my apartment, I was feeling rather sick myself, not having taken any mako for a few days, but my mood was worsened even further by the massive motorcycle in the alley outside my building. Trudging up the stairs and inside, I found Kadaj already sitting at the kitchen table, chair tipped back and his feet propped up on the table itself.

"You're late." Passing him without a second glance, I headed into the bedroom and got out an vial of mako, popping it into the injector and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You never told me a time, Kadaj. I had to make arrangements for work, like you suggested," I muttered as I unbuttoned my shirt, forcing back memories of a certain red head doing the same not too long ago. Once it was open, I picked the injector up from the night stand, but Kadaj's pale hand stopped me.

"Let me do it," he murmured, his eyes glistening with eagerness at the sight of the mottled black appearance of my afflicted skin. I was suddenly very self conscious, wanting to cover myself up, but my body seemed to act independently of my mind. My hand loosened, dropping the mako into his free hand, and I nodded a little, the ability to speak having left me momentarily. He grinned, a gesture in which the corners of his lips barely even lifted, and straightened, standing directly in front of me. Then he reached out and pushed me back onto the bed, slowly climbing up after me and straddling my waist so I couldn't slip away or sit up.

"Ka-" I began, my voice weak sounding, afraid.

"Shhh..." he soothed, his smile growing as he pushed my shirt back off of my stomach and ran his finger lightly up and down the marks there before moving up to those creeping upward onto my chest.

'Of course,' I thought, 'he's just a kid, he's probably got no clue you can't just touch a woman's chest like this, he doesn't know-' But then his fingers ran underneath the straps of my bra, threatening to pull them down, only deciding not to when my throat involuntarily let out a small whimper. His hand trailed back down, my eyes following his as they looked over every inch of me. When he spoke again, his tone was hushed, almost awed.

"The stigma has run rampant here..." his fingers grazed my ribs, making me twitch slightly. "It must pain you, sister... to have hidden this at such an advanced state... you never cease to amaze me..." His feather-light touch finally found the spot of my many injections, circling the scarred, raised flesh. As he did so, his gaze darkened, and he leaned down so that our faces were barely a few inches apart. "I will free you from your pain," he whispered, then pressed his lips hard to mine. Surely, this sloppily planned attack was the first time he'd kissed someone, but I realized when the sting of injection and the fire of mako hit that his inexperience was by no means a sign of naivety. I stiffened, groaning into his kiss before he pulled away. I kept my eyes closed for a few seconds longer before looking at him, sitting there with his biggest smile yet.

"Why you little trickster," I said, my voice stronger in the lack of pain and fear granted to me now, "stealing a kiss from your sister to do something like that. And look, you've gotten your clothes dirty." He made no response or move to get off of me, so I made myself more clear. "Get up, so I can get you something to wear and you can clean yourself up." He finally got up, and as I climbed to my feet as well, I didn't bother buttoning my shirt. He'd already seen what was underneath it, after all.

"It will be fine. It's leather, it wipes right off," he replied, grabbing the towel off of the rack just inside the bathroom door. He wiped the wetness from his chest and stomach, where it finally showed its sick, black color. I looked away, pulling the closet doors open and beginning to pull out clothes and throw them on the bed. When I had a large enough assortment I pulled out a compact duffel bag, stuffing the clothes in haphazardly and zipping it shut. I turned back to Kadaj, finished with the towel and lounging against the door frame, holding my bag out to him.

"Take this into the kitchen? I want to take a shower and put some fresh clothes on before we go." He took the bag from me but didn't move.

"I've already told you, we're running late because of you. You'll have all the time you want to bathe when we get home."

"But-" He turned his back and walked into the hall.

"You can still change, but hurry. At least clean clothes will keep you from smelling too much like him..." I stood, shocked for a second that he'd said such a thing, but when his calm voice called back again, "Hurry..." sounding a bit more annoyed, I turned to the closet once again. pulling on a red and blue shirt and a pair of snug jeans, I combed through my hair with my fingers and put on a pair of boots, tying them tightly.

He was standing at the fridge, the freezer door open and his head gone somewhere behind it when I emerged. Either he didn't notice my entrance or he didn't care, but he didn't look or say a word as I approached him. When finally I was within reach of him, I wrapped both of my arms around him from behind, crossing them on his chest and resting my head against his back.

"I thought you were in a hurry, brother," I teased. But instead of a playful reply, he grabbed my wrists and pushed me off of him, turning to face me. His mood was completely changed, anger now filling his gaze.

"If I wanted the Turk's stench on me, I would kill him and wear his clothes. Don't touch me."

"Kadaj," I started, confused.

"I bet you let him do anything he wanted, didn't you?" He spat, stepping around me and lifting my bag from the table. "... Filthy." I bit back my instinctual want to punch him and grabbed my jacket, shrugging it on.

"I don't understand why you're so jealous... I'm your sister, after all." In a flash, he'd seized my neck and slammed me against the wall.

"I am not jealous." He spoke in a soft growl that bordered on a whisper. I nodded my agreement with his statement, and he let go, leaving a throbbing ring around my neck no doubt just a worsening of what was already there. Without another word between us, I followed him out and climbed on the bike behind him, holding onto the edges of the seat and depending on my solidly strapped down bag to keep my spot on the bike, no longer wanting to so much as touch my brother.

About an hour outside of Edge he pulled the bike to a stop on the side of the wide dirt tracked road, and climbed off. I remained still for a moment, unsure of what he intended to do, but when he looked at me, he no longer seemed as angry.

"Is- is this it?" I asked, motioning to the forest ahead of us. He looked at the trees, then back at me, then actually threw his head back and laughed as if it were the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

"This? This is the end of the road." As soon as the word end left his mouth, I jumped off the opposite side of the bike from him and drew my gun, aiming right between his eyes. My action, though, simply made him laugh again, harder than before.

"Don't mock me, brother," I stressed the word, "I don't intend to just let you-"

"Just past the woods is the ocean, Kemuri. The ocean." He paused to settle his laughter. "We're taking a ferry, which is why I stopped here. The man who runs the ferry doesn't like women."

"What do you mean, he doesn't like women? I have to dress in drag or something?" He smiled.

"Not quite. What I mean is you're upset. I assume you don't want to have anything to do with me. Your best interest living the way you do would be to say that you're simply hitching a ride from me up north. But such a statement will entice our dear ferryman into some... less than honorable actions."

"And you think I can't defend myself against some pervert?"

"You will not. This ferry is important to us. The ferryman is important to us." I sighed.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Simply that you act as if you are a bit... more than my sister. For your own well being. For the reunion." Now I almost laughed.

"So, what- we're a happy couple then? You're just picking me up for our weekend away?" His grin only grew.

* * *

"Who's this then?" The middle aged man at the dock glared at me with a mix between hatred and hunger. I wrapped myself around Kadaj's arm and smiled as sweetly as I could.

"My fiancee," Kadaj replied smoothly. "We're spending a weekend up at the Icicle Inn."

"Oh, you've a fiancee then," ferry-man replied. "A happy couple on a weekend away from the city." He took the handlebars of Kadaj's cycle and pushed it onto the deck of the boat, securing it, then turning back to us as we stood by the railing. "You've got good taste." I held back my urge to gag audibly at this, simply leaning closer to Kadaj and whispering as the ferryman left us,

"You're lucky you need him." He laughed at my remark, and with a low grumble, I decided to spend the rest of the trip in silence.

* * *

"Wake up." I blinked the sleep from my eyes, not having remembered drifting off. Sitting up from my spot resting against Kadaj's shoulder, I watched as the small boat finished docking and the guard rail was let down. I followed close as the bike was unloaded, climbing on behind my brother and glancing back at our boatman as the vehicle roared to life.

The sun was low in the sky as the ancient forest came into sight over the top of a hill. The gleaming whitish trees were beautiful with the orangey light glinting off of them, and Kadaj looked back and smiled proudly as if it were something he'd done. My awe was a little crushed by his pride, and I kept my comments to myself until the towering forest engulfed us. Before I could put on an uncaring face, we'd stopped and a once again cheerful Kadaj took my hand as I climbed off of the bike.

"Welcome home," he grinned.

"This is where you're from? Where you live?"

"As close to where we're from as is comfortable and out of the way enough. Let's get you settled in and... that bath, yes?" I nodded, not so quick to recover from a sour mood as my brother.


	10. Chapter 10

Two days had passed and I had barely seen or heard from any of my brothers except for Loz, who filled me in on the fact that the other two were making preparations for something, and that he'd been left in charge of taking care of me.

"So what are they planning, Loz?" I asked, scooting my food back and forth on my plate with little intention to eat it.

"Our final present to you. Before mother comes back for us all, that is."

"Well, what is it? You know, if you three keep giving me presents like this, I have a feeling that I'll be left indebted to you." He smiled, fiddling with a small container of mako that my gaze kept following back and forth between his fingers.

"We're family. You don't owe us anything. Besides, when we have mother, you'll be able to help us as much as we have been helping you." The vial stopped between his index and middle finger. "Finish your lunch or you won't get your medicine." Shoveling the food in and swallowing with little chance to taste Loz's bland cooking, I pushed the empty plate away from me.

"There. All done." He smiled again, picking up the injector and inserting the vial, sliding it to me.

"Good." Hurriedly, I grabbed the drug and lifted my shirt, sighing as it flooded my system. I opened my eyes just as Yazoo walked in, stopping in the doorway, looking afraid to get too close to us.

"Everything is ready. Come with me, sister, Kadaj is waiting." I walked between them as we moved single file through the rooms and outside into the trees, neither of them saying a word to me. After a few minutes, the other two stopped, Yazoo stepping aside and our destination finally coming into view. Kadaj stood waist deep in a small pond, a small smirk on his face, and reached out a hand to me.

"Come, sister. You have been afflicted, and mother has given me the ability to save you." I moved to the edge of the water, stopping to take my shoes off, but when the cool water lapped at my toes I recognized the same dark color of the stigma.

"Kadaj, what is this?"

"Don't be afraid." He moved out of the deeper water toward me, taking my wrist gently. "You have been weakened by this world. By the ignorance of others. But mother can help you. We can make you strong again. Trust me?" I hesitated still, but when he pulled on my wrist, I followed slowly, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of over-weighted wet clothes. When we stopped, he turned back to face me, letting go of my hands.

"Close your eyes." I did, but when I felt his fingertips brush my bangs away, the reopened almost involuntarily, and I whispered like a child,

"Is it gonna hurt?" His smirk grew to a full blown smile for a moment, and he shook his head, fingers closing my eyes for me. Barely daring to breathe, I felt him take hold of me, our bodies touching for a brief second before he lifted me up and I felt the chill of coming up from the water.

"Take a breath," he murmured and just as I did, he dunked me completely under. There was a brief moment of panic when I was sure he was trying to drown me, but then I felt a peculiar tingling sensation on my skin. As he gently but firmly held me under, I fought the urge to let my breath go, lungs starting to ache and my panic returning. But just before I renewed my struggle, he pulled me back to the surface, holding me against him again, one arm around my shoulders as I gasped and coughed for air. When I'd recovered he motioned to the water again.

"Drink." Still feeling tingly, and more than a little light headed, I cupped my hands and brought some of the dark liquid to my mouth, drinking quickly in hopes of being allowed to go back inside quicker once this was over. But as it flowed down my throat, it went like fire, setting the whole of my insides aflame, and I let out a choked cry as I doubled over, one hand gripping the at my brother's arm as I did. He scooped me up again, carrying me quickly from the pond and laying me down, sitting next to me and brushing my hair back once more. He looked sure of himself as he watched me writhe in pain, my vision blurring as shock began to take consciousness from me.

"Don't worry, sister. It may hurt now, but when you wake, you will be a true child of mother, cured of the planet's affliction and empowered as we. I'll be back to check on you." He stood to leave, my weakening grip on his arm not doing much to make him stay, and once I heard a door close behind him, I closed my eyes to focus on anything but how he'd lied to me, how much this truly was torture.

When I dragged myself out of bed again the sun was disappearing behind the shield of the forest. I moved slowly, the memory of my last conscious moments fresh in my mind. Kadaj was sitting alone at the table in the small dining room, staring blankly at his hands. Clearly deep in thought. I retreated back into my room silently, examining my surroundings for the hundredth time.

The room was simple, sparsely furnished with little more than a small mattress and a dresser with a lamp on top of it. Lacking in a closet or a bathroom like my own apartment, someone had propped a tall mirror against one blank wall, another one of my brothers' 'gifts'. I stopped in front of it, looking at my wrinkled dress and misaligned sweater, my tangled hair. With a sigh I ran my hands through my hair and unbuttoned the sweater, taking it off and tossing it towards the bed. When I turned back, I was dumbstruck. Where days before my arm had borne the faint beginnings of the stigma, of how far it had progressed, was nothing but the fair shade of my skin. A throat clearing behind me startled me, and I jumped when I finally became aware of Kadaj's presence in the room.

"Kadaj..."

"You're finally up."

"My arm, it's-"

"Didn't I tell you?" he smiled. I turned away from him back to the mirror, rubbing my arm as if the dark mark would reappear.

"Is it all- am I cured?"

"Look for yourself." He stepped up behind me, our eyes meeting in the glass as his cold hands touched my back. I opened my mouth to stop him, but something in his gaze stopped me cold, the only sound that of him unzipping my dress. It slipped smoothly to pool at my feet and I was left standing before him in underwear, but feeling completely exposed under his watch. With a good deal of effort I tore my eyes from his, to have my shock renewed. The only mark left on my skin, so far as the eye could see, was the old scar of mako use. The stigma was completely gone, as if I had never been plagued by it in the first place.

"You're truly ready." His grin hadn't shrunk, and I turned to face him again, hoping being unable to see my own near nudity would keep my mind from the fact that he could see it as well.

"You still haven't told me what I need to be ready for."

"You'll know when the time is right."

"I'm getting impatient, Kadaj, remember you asked me to help you and your brothers. The time is right now, or I'm leaving."

"There's the Kemuri I was hoping for." He put a hand on my shoulder, and brought it slowly down my upper arm, then back up. "This planet, and the people on it, have plagued us, experimented on us, made us monsters. And then they try to rid themselves of us. We're going to avenge all of our brothers and sisters before us. We're going to resurrect mother, and get our revenge on them."

"I still don't see what my part is in this... You seem to be offering me vengeance for the orphanage on a silver platter, but what do you expect back from me?" He laughed, a chilling sound, then pulled me forward into an embrace so quickly I had no time to react, and so strong there was little I could do when I did. His voice lowered in my ear, his gloved hands sliding to my hips and the small of my back and his hold tightening into a faintly painful clutch.

"We need you, because mother was almost destroyed. When we recover what we can, You and I will take her in. I will become the tool for revenge, and you... You will become mother resurrected. You are the most important one of all." He finally pulled away a little, producing a vial from a pocket. "You don't need this anymore, you know. The pain of the stigma is gone." Now it was my turn to smile.

"You know less about me than you think. I've needed mako for longer than you've been alive. Relief from the stigma was just a plus." I reached out to take it, but once again he stopped me.

"Let me."

"You've already done it once, remember?"

"Yes. And I enjoyed it so much."

"Kadaj, I don't think-" His gaze hardened, and his grip on my arm tightened to painful as his temper flared.

"I do it, or you don't get it. Your choice." I lifted my arm above my head to give him the room, but had to reach out and grab him for support when the mako surged through my veins with a fire I hadn't experienced in recent memory. He held me up, walking me to the bed and letting me sit down until the sensation had passed and I let my breath out. We were sitting next to each other, in silence for a few moments, until I spoke up.

"What is it?" He kept staring at me, unwavering, but with the mako clearing my mind, or whatever strengthened connection I'd been given, I knew what he was waiting for.

"What?" His voice was quieter, in that small, childlike way he had of slipping into.

"I have to go back."

"You can't. You'll stay here with us, until the reunion." I shook my head, looking over and making eye contact.

"You've cured me, given me power I've yet to see, so there's something you'll all expect in return. What is it that you want from me, Kadaj? The victory of our revenge against everyone? A loving older sister to show you happiness? Or just sex?" No answer. "I can give you your revenge, because it gives me mine. But I've never had enough of a family to know what to give you there, and I won't give you the last. I have to go back." He stood up and left, moving just as silently as when he came in, only stopping in the doorway to mutter something about driving me back to the ferry.

The ride back was silent, my goodbye to Kadaj going unanswered and my wariness of the ferryman enough to keep me from relaxing. Yazoo and Loz were on the far docks, taking me just as silently to just within the city limits and letting me go with a promise that I wouldn't have to wait too much longer for the final preparations to be made. I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder and waved them off, heading for home. It took a shower and some fresh clothes to get rid of some of the bad mood, and I finally decided I should head over to the Seventh Heaven to at least check up on things. After all, what would I do with another four days, if I could spend it making some money at least?

"Oh, Kemuri, you're back early!" Tifa called happily as I got off my scooter. She stood at the front door, flipping the sign to closed as she spoke, then closing it as she stepped into the street.

"Yeah, didn't take as long as I thought it would... Why're you locking up?" She locked the door and turned to me, a smile on her face.

"Well, a couple of old friends of mine are in town, and your little vacation inspired me to take my own. Don't worry about the bar, there are plenty of other places to drink in Edge." I nodded, moving back to my vehicle when she continued, "You know, my friend Yuffie, she and I were going to go out tonight, did you want to come with us?"

"Uh... Sure."

"Great! If you don't mind, we could drive over to her place, and head out from there. I was just going to walk, but this'll be faster." I shook my head, and she climbed on behind me, pointing out directions as we went. It made a similar scene pop into my head, less than a week ago itself but seeming distant already, when a drunk redhead held on behind me and directed me through the city. I almost missed Tifa's call to stop, and the tires squealed on the pavement as we did.

It wasn't long before another woman joined us, and this time the three of us walked, going through the mandatory introductions as I followed the other two. This girl seemed nice as well, and I wondered briefly how Tifa had managed to find a group of such nice people, while all I seemed to attract was the opposite. We turned a corner to see a large building, unremarkable except for the small crowd of people that milled around in front of it and the loud music and lights that spilled out from its open double doors. Looking at the tight, short, and otherwise revealing clothes of the other women there, I suddenly felt very aware of how much I was wearing. Snug fitting white jeans that tapered into mid calf boots, A black shirt that covered most of my arms with a white and turquoise halter layered over it seemed out of place, and Tifa seemed to notice my hesitation.

"Don't worry about your clothes, Kemuri. You may not be dressed like a club girl, but if you're cute - and you are - no one's even going to pay attention to what you're wearing." She looped her arm around mine, Yuffie doing the same on her other side. "Come on."

My two companions towed me into the building, hanging by my side long enough to down a few drinks and disappear into the mass of people on the dance floor, leaving me alone leaning against the crowded bar. Apparently two drinks was enough for them to abandon self consciousness, but not so for me. Even when I was riding a light buzz and the driving bass and flashing lights seemed to blur into a single haze of writhing figures a few feet in front of me, I hung back, the bar my safety line in an unfamiliar world. It wasn't until a gravelly, seductive voice spoke in my ear that I even looked up from my drink.

"You'd look better out there dancing with your friends, yo." My eyes flicked up for a moment, not needing to see him to know who was standing next to me, two drinks in hand.

"Yeah, well I'm not drunk enough to dance like that. Not for a bunch of guys I've got no interest in, anyways."

"How 'bout for one that has interest in you?" I smiled, finishing the last sip of my drink and putting the cup on the bar before turning toward him.

"Like I said, not drunk enough." He held up one of the cups, grinning back, the lights making his eyes seem to glow as I was sure mine were doing. I took it, intending to put it down when he left, or throw it in his face, or something along those lines.

"We can fix that."


	11. Chapter 11

I looked toward the dance floor, catching a glimpse of Tifa before she vanished again, wishing I'd taking my chances with them. But it was too late for that now, and here I was, once again with seemingly the last person that I wanted to be with, but as he turned back from the bar with two more drinks, there was a certain familiar glint in his eye. Damn him for it, and for the faint smell of that cologne he wore that still reached me in the stifling club, and how the lights played on his ridiculous hair. The boy was too attractive for his own good, everything else aside, and definitely too attractive for mine. And the more I thought about it, wasn't the best way to keep tabs on the man I still fully intended to kill - eventually - to keep close to him? And kudos to me for getting personal satisfaction from the deal, if it ever lead to that again. Which was going to be a roll of the dice, if he kept looking at me like that. And kept making me think about how he'd given me exactly what I wanted in bed not too long ago... and kept giving me drinks.

"Yeah, we'll see," I sighed, pounding back the one I'd taken from him, then snatching the new one from him and making it similarly disappear. I refused to look over at him again, but as the alcohol took its effect I became acutely aware that he was watching me. I fleetingly wondered if he had put something in the drinks. I sure as hell wouldn't put it past him or his employers to drug someone. And of course, I wouldn't put it past the redhead to break the agreement we'd had and rat me out first chance he got. A sick feeling gripped me, a mix between anger and a slow panic, but he leaned close to me, our shoulders pressed together, and bent close so he could be heard.

"I know what you're thinking, and I'm appalled that you think that low of me. I didn't put anything in those drinks, and I held up my end of the bargain. I was just getting the drinks I owed you out of the way." The last few words were all but drowned out by the pounding start of a new song, and I finally met his eye. Not knowing if he would be able to hear a sarcastic comment if I made one, I made a pantomime fanning my face for fresh air, then turned and made for the door.

The air outside the club was cool and refreshing, and I was pleased to see that most of the people had moved inside, leaving me alone. I hoped to be gone before Reno realized I'd lied to him, but my eager drinking earlier was coming back to haunt me, so I leaned against the brick wall and closed my eyes, taking a few deep breaths to clear my head.

"You really don't like dancing, huh?" I jumped, almost shouting. I was too slow, damn him, and now he stood in front of me, the beginnings of a frown pulling the corners of his lips down. "You alright? Not gonna puke, are you?"

"I'm fine," I rolled my eyes, "I just didn't want to be there, and I definitely don't want to dance. I don't dance." His smile was back.

"Well, that's just fine, no one said you had to dance, yo. Since you aren't too drunk, how about we go back to my place and have another?"

"No."

"Oh, come on. It's just a drink. I don't make a habit of raping girls, you know. I'm amazed at the lengths you think I'd go to for you, Kemuri, there's other girls in Edge. There's always other girls." He laughed at this, and the light in his eyes caught the moon. I stood speechless for a moment, letting his laughter die down, and when he looked at me again, he sighed.

"Fine. You win. I'll leave you alone. Your loss." He started turning away, but I grabbed his arm. I'd never been one to let a taunt go unanswered.

"My loss? I never asked for you to barrel into my life, fucking things up as you went. The best years I've had were the ones where you weren't around! But no-" I yanked him closer, lowering my voice so he could hear the anger up close, "You had to waltz right back in, acting like you never met me, and look at how that turned out."

"Hey- I don't know what in the hell you're talking about. We've been through this before, if we came through and fucked up your town or something, fine, I'm sorry, but it's business. I do what I'm told, there's no helping that one, honey. But this acting like I ruined your life shit, just because I ended a happy childhood in a happy town with your happy family-" I yanked him down toward me, my voice becoming a snarl. Now face to face, I could see the glow of my mako altered glare reflected in his.

"Don't you mock me, you son of a bitch. You know very well who I am, and you know very well that that goddamned orphanage didn't give anyone a happy childhood. But those kids were my brothers and sisters, they didn't deserve what you did to them, and I didn't deserve to be left like that to die in the street. Just because we fucked once does not mean I won't make you hurt for each and every one of them." His eyes widened, realization finally dawning on his face.

"You grew up at the home?" His voice was just a whisper, too shocked to muster anything more.

"You're damn right I did. And following orders or not, you killed a lot of innocent people, Reno. And one day soon, you're going to pay for that."

"You... You're the little girl." He wrenched from my grasp, rising to his full height and taking a step back. Still wide eyed, his gaze seemed to go right through me, remembering now what he'd perhaps forced to some recess of his mind. "You were crying. You went out the window... I thought you were dead... How-"

"It doesn't matter how. I did."

"I couldn't- you know what they did to us. There was no way I couldn't." His voice turned from shock back to anger. "You know! There's no way you can blame me for that! Hell, I probably saved your life, you should thank me for getting you out of there, the shit they did!"

"I'll blame who I want." He closed the distance, putting one palm on the wall then grabbing a handful of my shirt in the other, this time pulling me close to him.

"You're a stupid girl, Kemuri. Thinking you can get revenge for that. All the men responsible for it are dead, there's no one to get revenge on." I didn't respond, unwilling to argue the point anymore. At least now he understood the grudge, even if he didn't agree with it. Once he noticed my refusal his anger began dying down, and he let go of my shirt, letting me off my toes back against the wall.

"Besides, I wasn't gonna have sex with you, I was just flirting. You started it..." he muttered. Now it was my turn to laugh.

"I started it? I did? When you kissed me, three times? When you started undressing me? When you carried me to your bed like a goddamned cave man?"

"You told me to get undressed first, Kemuri. And one of those three kisses was you. And..." He smiled wickedly, "I don't remember you saying no even once."

"You made me kiss you!" His smile didn't falter, and I let out an exasperated groan. "God, do I hate you!"

"Of course you do, darling," he growled, and finally I couldn't take it anymore.

Our mouths met eagerly, like our first kiss, as if we'd both been waiting for the other to make the first move. I held onto him like he was a life raft in a storm, one hand tangled in his hair, the other arm wrapped around his neck and grabbing a handful of his shirt. His, in turn had snaked around my waist and grabbed the back of my neck to keep me from pulling away. By now, I assumed he always tasted like booze and smoke, and I wasn't surprised by it as my consumption caused us to lose balance and collide with the wall again. This was becoming all too common for my tastes. Not that I'd stop now unless Tifa happened upon us.

His hands started roaming, and in return mine did the same, no longer caring that we were in full sight of anyone on the road or going in or out of the club. I faintly heard the song change again, but was pulled away from it when he roughly pulled my skirt up, reaching underneath to grumble when his hand met with my tights.

"You always gotta make things difficult." I opened my mouth to respond when the singer finally broke in loud, covering my response.

_I want your whisky mouth all over my blonde south..._

For a second we both froze, then a smile broke on my face, quickly turning into laughter. Reno smiled too, pulling away from me and grabbing my arm. I barely had time to fix my skirt as he dragged me around the corner of the building into a deserted alley. The song could still be heard, and I still had a smile on my face when he stopped and turned back to me. I didn't need to ask why he'd brought me back here, he'd obviously done this before. He had me pinned against the wall, legs wrapped around his waist as his mouth traced patterns on my neck before I spoke.

"I thought you wanted to go back to your place?" He paused, smirking at me.

"We will."

* * *

This time I knew where I was when I swam up from sleep. When I opened my eyes a dull throbbing followed, and I knew that it was my turn to be hungover. I rolled away from the light, burying my head into the pillow with a grumble that apparently woke my companion.

"Up already?"

"Shh..." He gave one soft chuckle and moved himself, shaking the mattress as he did. I clutched the pillow closer, wanting to go back to sleep, and I almost jumped when he brushed my hair back out of my face. He was propped up on one elbow, looking down at me when I finally opened my eyes again.

"You want something? For the headache, I mean. You were pretty drunk last night."

"I'm fine. I should probably go anyway, I'll take something at home."

"I told you you don't have to leave like that. If you want to sleep, by all means, sleep." He grinned. "Or, if you're awake, I have a few ideas..." I closed my eyes, retreating back into the covers.

"I'll just sleep then. Thanks." After a few seconds, he settled back down as well. I could hear the street traffic outside, just starting to gain momentum for the day, and I could hear him breathing next to me, but he didn't touch me or make another sound.

"Reno..."

"Hmm?" his voice rumbled pleasantly from his throat. Apparently he'd fallen back asleep quickly.

"You said there's always other girls. And I assume you're pretty popular with them, by the way you act. So how come you won't leave me alone?"

"You want me to?" I sighed, frustrated with him already.

"I've only said it a thousand times. And I've told you I wanted to kill you about as many times. That doesn't catch on with you that I don't want to be your girlfriend?"

"Whoa," he laughed, "No one said anything about being my girlfriend, yo! I'm not exactly in a place in my life for serious relationships." I looked at him, laying on his back looking at the dingy ceiling of his bedroom, a huge grin on his face.

"Then why are you pursuing me like this? Can't you just let me get on with my life?"

"Well, that one is complicated. I could give you a list of reasons I might be following your skinny ass all over town..."

"Then let's hear it."

"Well, for one, you threatened my boss, tried to kill me and my partner, and have associated with a few people that we'd like to get our hands on. I could be under orders to keep an eye on you. Thought you'd see at least that possibility for yourself. Maybe I'm making reports on you, making sure we know where you are until Tseng wants you brought in.

"So you lied, then. You didn't hold up your end of the agreement. I should've-"

"Hold on, I said could. Now, I wouldn't say I'd never tell a lie, but I haven't ratted you out yet. And it'll take more than you 'not wanting to be my girlfriend' to get me to." He laughed again. "What else... Maybe... Maybe I've decided to finish the job I neglected to in killing you. Before you kill me."

"Don't joke about that, Reno," I warned, earning a playful glance from him.

"Maybe I'm desperately in love with you, and I intend to stick around until you love me back. Maybe I think you're a weak target, and I'm going to use you like this until I'm bored with you and throw you out, regardless of how you feel about it. Maybe You're one of a few, or one of a hundred girls I'm fucking on my days off. Maybe I just think you're an interesting person, and a hell of a good lay."

"So which is it?"

"Oh now you wanna talk with me, huh?"

"Reno..."

"Take a guess. Besides, I thought you wanted to sleep or leave or something." I could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't as angry as his words made him seem, or if he was, he was very good at hiding it. I reached out and traced a line lightly down his bare arm, raising goosebumps as i did.

"I'm not tired anymore, and you said I didn't have to leave. I don't have to be back into work for a few more days, and I haven't got any pets or children at home to watch over. And I had heard some mention of ideas you might or might not have... But if you insist, I can go." I started to sit up, barely able to hold back a grin of my own at taunting him, but I heard him shift toward me a little. In a flash, he'd pulled me back to the bed, rolling so that his weight pressed down on me.

"A few days?" I smiled openly, staring into those bright green eyes, and nodded. He dipped his head closer to my ear, the length of his hair spilling down over his shoulder and pooling across my shoulder and the sheets.

"I have plenty of ideas... But I want to hear from you what you want." I hesitated, an he urged me on. "Say it."

"I don't want you to care, for one."

"Never said I did. But this-" his hand slipped quickly from my arm where he'd restrained me down my side, stopping against my thigh where it held the slightest pressure against my underwear, "isn't about caring. I like to make a girl feel good, make sure she remembers what I did to her when I'm done." His hand slid beneath the fabric and despite myself I gave a little gasp. "Or would you rather I tell you what you want?" He didn't give me much chance to reply, his teeth and tongue teasing my earlobe and neck as his hand continued beneath the sheets.

"I..." He pulled back for a second, making eye contact. His gaze was different now, but not unfamiliar, and his voice when he spoke again was a low growl, demanding and seductive in its own way.

"Do you want me?"

"I- yes..." His moved his mouth back to my neck, only pausing for a short snarl here or there.

"Say it."

"I want you."

"Beg me for it."

"... I... Ah... Please..."

"You call that begging?" He pulled away from me, stopping to look at me, disappointed. "You can do better than that."

"Please, don't stop. I want you. I need you, now," I mumbled, feeling my face heat up with embarrassment. He smiled, a wicked grin.

"That's better. Now," he came back down to me, pulling himself free from his underwear, "What you're going to do next is say my name. And if you're not screaming it in the next ten minutes, I owe you a thousand Gil."


	12. Chapter 12

"So how was the rest of your vacation, Kemuri?" Tifa asked as we wiped down the tables not yet occupied before the start of the weekend rush.

"Not very interesting. Stayed in bed mostly. Just relaxing." She laughed.

"Oh, is that what they call it nowadays?" I turned to face her at the bar, hands on my hips.

"Excuse me?"

"Come on Kemuri, it's okay if you have a new boyfriend. We noticed you ditched us at the club, and Yuffie told me you didn't come get your scooter until the next afternoon." I couldn't hold back my smile.

"Fine, you caught me. But he's not my boyfriend, so you know. We just, you know... Like similar things. And doing them together sometimes." I joined her at the bar, leaning against it and dropping my rag.

"So tell me about him!"

"He's nothing special..."

"Cute?"

"Not really cute, but good looking, yeah. I guess."

"Is he nice?"

"No." I laughed, but she only raised an eyebrow at me.

"Good in bed?"

"Tifa! I thought you were a nice girl, I'm surprised at you!" I joked.

"That bad, huh?" After a few seconds of her staring me down, I finally cracked, laughing again.

"No. He's good, I suppose. Depends on what you define as good." Another eyebrow. "Okay, yes! Good. Great! Will you get of my case now?" This time she started laughing first, and I joined her.

"I don't know about this guy, Kemuri," she finally said, half joking, "Maybe you should have him come in sometime so I can meet him, get a bearing on him." Unsure of how to answer, but positive I wouldn't be introducing Tifa to Reno anytime soon, I mumbled something noncommittal, and turned the conversation on her.

"You know, if we're talking about guys, how about you tell me what's up with that depressing guy who came in a few weeks ago. You guys sure seemed to be talking upstairs for a long time."

"Oh, Cloud? That's um... Complicated."

"I bet." By the look on her face, I decided I didn't want to press things anymore. Especially if I expected her not to ask more about my own relationships. Most of the night went as uneventfully as a busy bar on a Saturday could be expected to be, and in the wee hours of the morning I bid goodbye to the other woman and headed outside, hearing the door lock behind me. I put my helmet on but neglected to buckle it under my chin, and climbed on my vehicle, pausing to call out to the shadow in the alley behind me.

"Are you waiting for me, or do you meet all of your girls here?" Reno stepped out into the light of the street, a grin on his face as usual.

"I didn't think you'd notice me. You're sharper than I thought, Kemuri." I smiled at him blandly. "It looked busy tonight, maybe I could buy you something to eat? Or a drink?"

"You don't owe me any more drinks, Reno. You're sounding an awful lot like you want to be my friend." I smiled for real this time, teasing him, "Maybe even my _boyfriend_."

"Don't get cocky, sweetheart." He smirked at the chance to return my earlier insult, and i returned the grin with an added middle finger. I started the scooter up, but kept on foot on the ground, intrigued by his sudden appearance. After all, four days spent pretty much only in bed with a person, and I assumed he'd want some time alone. Or at least would have work to do.

"So you want to buy me dinner."

"Essentially. I mean, if we wanted to exchange some words or something while we're eating, that's fine, I guess." He raised his eyebrows. "I'd offer to skip the meal and go right to my place, but I'm going to need to eat eventually if you expect me to keep up my performance." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not sure I want to share with you my life story. And I'm sure that you could use some rest, if I've worn you out that badly. But I am hungry, and I suppose no matter what I do now, you're just going to follow me." His look said that I understood the situation perfectly, and he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"So- are you going to offer me a ride or not?"

The diner he'd directed me to could barely count as an establishment. It lay on the outskirts of the city, a place I'd passed by many times, an open dirt area where the kitchen sat under more of a lean-to than a real building. But he insisted the food was good, and it was one of few places that looked open at this hour, so we claimed a table far from the other few patrons and sat.

"Do you come out here often?"

"Yeah, the place is great," he mumbled, not paying attention to my attempt at small talk. "Look, Kemuri, I want to be serious with you here. I noticed your stigma is gone. Where did you go, and what did they do to you?"

"Why should I tell you anything?" I paused as a young boy, no older than twelve or thirteen, brought us two glasses of water. Reno ordered for both of us, me counting on his knowledge of a menu that apparently was only known to regulars. "Why should I give everything up to the people who've tried to kill me at least twice? Because we're friends now or something?"

"Kemuri, If you'll listen to me-"

"No! What they've offered me is better than anything you can! My parents gave me up to that place, and they made my life hell! You destroyed the only home I'd ever known and left me to die! And then, just when I think I'm putting my life back together, Someone sees fit for me to get the stigma! This planet and everyone on it have been fucking with me since the day I was born, and I'm done letting it happen. I won't tell you a thing, and I won't help you stop them!" He reached across the table, grabbing my wrist.

"Don't cause a scene. I'm trying to warn you here. If you continue like this, Tseng is going to force my hand. I can't keep him off your back forever. I want to help you get out of this, a girl like you doesn't deserve to be dragged into this. You have no idea how deep this goes, and you shouldn't be involved. Maybe... Maybe I do like you enough to think of you as a friend, or something. We have a lot in common, Kemuri."

"What we have isn't friendship, Reno. We're fucking, is all. You're good looking, and you're good in bed. I don't want to be your friend, I don't want to know your life story. So maybe I don't actively want you dead, but if you side with the Turks, I'll do what I have to." I pulled from his grip and sat back in my chair. "They cured me, they give me mako. I feel stronger than I've felt in years. They've done more for me than anyone in my life has, and they sure seem to be the only ones who care about my welfare. If I turned on them now, I think they'd do worse to me than you could in a hundred years. And I don't intend to." Now he stood, slamming his palms on the table and shouting.

"Damn it, Kemuri, I'm trying to help you here! Can't you see that I care?"

For a moment I was struck speechless. But when what he'd said finally sunk in for both of us, I found myself laughing. Which did nothing for his anger, only now there was a bare hint of red on his face.

"And here you were the one lecturing me about getting too involved." I stood, dropping some money on the table and moving past him to leave. "Listen, Reno, it's nice of you and all, but I can't do this. Not now, not with you. I'm sorry, but that's just how it has to be." He didn't move as I passed by him, and as I pulled away from the place, I could see him still standing there, staring down at the table. But instead of feeling as proud as I should've, the further I left him behind, the worse I felt. Did I have to be so harsh to him? After all, it seemed the poor man wasn't used to taking women seriously, and I'd left him in middle of a public place looking pretty dumbfounded...

Before I knew it I was knocking on the door at the Seventh Heaven, hoping someone would answer. Finally I heard footsteps approaching, and as I waited I fidgeted, twisting and pulling at the hem of my shirt.

"Kemuri? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Tifa asked groggily as she let me in. I didn't know what to say at first, so she took down a few bar stools, sitting in one and motioning for me to take the other. I declined, pacing my nervous energy out along the length of the bar.

"He likes me. This guy, my... Guy. He wanted to eat dinner with me, that should've been my warning. I shouldn't have gone with him for dinner. I should've walked away when he said I was interesting. Or when he said we were friends. But I waited until he said he cared about me. Why did I wait?"

"Kemuri, isn't that good? If he likes you, thinks you're interesting?"

"No, it isn't good!" I shouted, only lowering my voice when she glanced upstairs where the children would be. "It's not good because we aren't supposed to like each other! We aren't even supposed to be fucking! That alone could get the both of us into worlds of trouble, let alone letting real feelings into the mix!"

"I'm not sure I understand-" I flopped onto the stool next to her, looking her in the eye.

"It's just that... Now he cares, what am I supposed to do? What if when I thought it was just physical attraction it was more? Not that it does any good, there's no way I'd get involved at that level..." My voice trailed off when there was another pounding at the door. Tifa stood and took a step toward the door, but I shook my head. Of course he'd have followed me. She hesitated for a minute, then nodded, giving me a look that said she'd cover for me. I moved into the back of the bar, standing in the gloom by the stairs and the storage room where I couldn't be seen from the door.

She barely had time to unlock it when it flew open, the red haired Turk practically tumbling into the bar.

"Where is she?" It took him grabbing her shoulders and pulling her towards him to jolt her out of her shock at who'd come bursting in.

"R-Reno? What are you doing here?"

"Where's she at, Lockheart? I know she came here, here bike's in the alley, yo!" Before Tifa could say anything, I stepped from the shadows, making sure I looked more serious and angry than how terrified I was.

"Let her go, Reno. She doesn't have anything to do with this." Once released, Tifa was still too shocked to do anything but collapse back onto her stool.

"Kemuri, will you just listen to me?"

"No. I don't have to take another word from you. And I don't want to see you anymore, it's as simple as that. The lines have been drawn, and we're on the wrong sides." He crossed the space in an instant, seizing my arms like he'd had Tifa moments before.

"I don't want to hear anymore of your self-righteous bullshit! I'm not asking you to marry me here, I'm trying to save your life! Maybe I got too involved, but you can't tell me you don't feel a thing!"

"I can, and I will." But my voice caught in my throat when I tried to continue. "I- ah-"

"You see? There's something that's stopping you. It might just be that you think I'm a good lay, but there's a reason you changed your mind about killing me. Just listen, and I'll do what I can to get Tseng to go easy on you." Now I really was angry.

"Oh, that's what this is." I wrenched away from him and shoved him back a step, raising my voice again. "You don't want the guilt of killing me twice, huh? You're too soft to even do your job when there's a pretty girl in the way? Well let me tell you something, _boy_," I spat the word out hatefully, not using his name any longer, "I've changed my mind again. There's nothing you can do to keep me from them now. And there's nothing you can say to save your own life. I won't do it in front of Tifa or her kids, not here, but when I see you out there, you'd better be prepared for me." I pushed past him and a stunned Tifa, jumped on my scooter and sped away as fast as the machine would go. Taking a circuitous route to avoid being so easily followed, I finally arrived home, stomping and slamming doors the whole way to bed.

Sleep did not come easily to me that night, but when I finally did drop off, I dreamed of a boy with glowing green eyes.

I worked and went home, worked and went home, hardly doing anything outside the necessary for almost a week, feeling still rather like a zombie going through the motions of a normal life. Tifa, of course, noticed and asked if I was okay, and by the end of the week was even up to suggesting I go make up with Reno, despite her obvious distaste for him. But I assured her I was fine, that I wasn't missing the redhead, and that by no means was I going to make up with the likes of him when we weren't even technically in any kind of relationship that entailed making or breaking of anything. She eventually left me alone on the topic, but said she was worried about my seeming lack of sleep, and told me to take a few days off. Of course I noticed at this point that she was spending more time taking care of the sick Denzel, and that she intended to close the bar again anyways.

The first night I spent at home, drinking more than I had in a long time. At first it fueled my anger, reassuring me that I was right in what I'd said to Reno. Angry that he was even crossing my mind, now that he was seemingly out of my life. How dare he follow me around like a puppy for weeks and then just disappear! Then again, it was my fault he wasn't around anymore, wasn't it? I was the one who kept pushing him away when what I wanted really was for him to be around. But of course this thought refueled my anger, and so I spent the night arguing with myself until I finally trudged to bed and barely had time to put on a nightgown before practically passing out huddled on top of the covers.

The next morning I woke slowly, feeling as if I hadn't slept a second all night, and fumbled for a dose of mako in the nightstand. Still unused to the full strength of the drug now without the stigma, I sat on the edge of the bed for a few extra minutes to regain my steadiness, then moved to the bathroom. Not feeling the energy to fully freshen up, I simply brushed my teeth and moved back into my room, opening the closet to stare blankly at the wall of clothes.

"You don't need to worry about dressing up for us," A deep voice said from the doorway, making my heart skip a few beats. When I turned, I discovered the leader of the Turks watching me. My surprise must have shown on my face, because he flashed me a cold grin, more a baring of his teeth than a smile.

"You didn't think we'd forget about you, did you, Kemuri? After what you and your 'brothers' did?" It was then that I noticed he had bandages wrapped around his head, and a few other obvious signs of injury.

"What do you want?" I tried to sound calm, but past the black haired man I could now see Reno's partner, and noise from further behind them signaled that Elena and Reno were present as well.

"We want the same thing we wanted before. The information Reno said he tried so hard to get from you, that you seem to be so intent on keeping to yourself." He glanced back to Rude, motioning for them all to come into the bedroom, and while he was distracted I took my chance, bolting across the room. I leaped over the bed and tore the window open, but only had time to heave my head and shoulders out before a set of strong hands grabbed me by my waist. Rude hauled me back inside, using his size advantage to overpower my struggles as he turned back to the others. Tseng had leaned against the wall casually as Elena dragged in a chair. And finally came Reno, refusing to look at me, but carrying both a long coil of rope and a black eye.

"You bastard!" I screamed, renewing my struggles so that even the massive Turk had trouble holding me back. "You lying son of a bitch! I'll kill you, I swear I will! If it the last thing I do, I will bathe in your blood, you fucker!" Now Tseng tired of waiting, stepping over to us and striking me hard enough that I tasted blood.

"Struggling isn't going to do you any good. You realize that, don't you? I've heard that you're a smart girl, so let's not play any games. I am prepared to do whatever it takes to get what I need from you, even if I have to hurt someone. You see Reno there?" He paused and looked over at the sulking redhead. "I gave him that black eye, and split his lip too, for hiding this from me for so long. He's my second in command, and I still _made_ him tell me exactly where you live, and everything about you. I want you to understand that from now on, he's' going to do his job, just like I'm doing mine. Now sit down and let us get started without causing too much of a ruckus, it'll be that much more time wasted if we have to wait for you to regain consciousness after we've tied you up."

"You'll never get a thing from me, you know that right? Not a word." He gave that cold grin again, pulling a pistol from inside his jacket and flipping it backwards.

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?"

* * *

NOTE: The next couple of chapters take a different turn on the story. a dark one. i have raised the rating of the story to mature because of it, and i'm not sure how many of you will like it, but it's where the story led me, where it seemed to go. so brace yourselves, or something.


	13. Chapter 13

My vision was blurred, the world swimming before me. I tasted the copper of blood in my mouth, and I wanted to lay down, to curl up in my bed. To pull the covers up over my head and bask in the soft warmth that was only feet away. But the smeared figure that sat on the edge of the bed, dark as it was, had decided otherwise.

"Stay with us, Kemuri, I don't want to have to wake you up again." A voice I knew well. Tseng. The memories flooded back, and I blinked a few times to try and clear my vision, unsuccessfully.

"That'd be the cut on your forehead. They bleed a lot, but it's nothing life threatening. And if there's a concussion, your vision will be blurred, but it'll come back." He remained sitting, waiting for me to respond, but I closed my eyes, taking in a few ragged breaths. When I opened my eyes again, he was almost completely in focus, which must have shown in my gaze, for he stood, signaling to someone I couldn't see. The other three Turks entered the room, in various states of disinterest, until their leader spoke again.

"Now, it's been three days, and she hasn't said a word. What do you make of that?" No one answered. "Reno?" The bruised redhead shrugged, scuffing his foot on the wooden floor.

"Dunno."

"Reno. You can do better than that." He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets, then looked up. For a second, our eyes met as I watched the exchange, but he looked away quickly.

"It's just... She said she wasn't going to give anything up. She's not cussing us out anymore either. Not making a noise when you hit her. Nothing. I think she's pretty much holding to her word, is all."

"And?" He hesitated, biting a little on the scabbed over spot on his lip, then let out in a burst of frustration.

"And I don't see any point in continuing this! At this rate, you'll kill her before you get anything, and what good is that going to do you, yo!" Rude looked at his partner over the tops of his sunglasses, a warning to watch his temper in front of the boss, and Reno went back to staring at the floor.

"I don't intend to let her slip from our fingers after only three days, Reno, I'm more careful than that. And if she insists on continuing her rather foolish endeavor, she rather deserves the consequences. Now," He turned to the only other female in the room, "Elena, I do believe it's your turn. You have a few things you'd like to say to Kemuri about her brothers, don't you?" He stepped aside and led the other two men out of the room, the blonde woman closing the door behind him. I watched her as she slowly crossed the room, unbuttoning her jacket and pulling a pistol from within. She stopped in front of me and pressed it firmly against my forehead, forcing my head back enough so that our eyes met.

"I'd say that you have no idea what they did to us, but from the look of you, Tseng gave you some insight."

"I'm sorry they put you through prolonged pain. I'll let them know you prefer to be killed quickly." She jabbed the gun forward, refreshing the blood flow from whatever cut was there, then thumbing back the hammer.

"I could kill you right now. How would you like that?"

"I wouldn't want you to get in trouble, it seems like your boss is really getting his rocks off beating me up. Do whatever you want." Her eyes narrowed for a moment, taking the insult to her boss personally, but eventually she pulled the gun back.

"How come you're talking to me, when you won't say a word to Tseng?" I managed a small smile.

"Because Elena, I think we've got a real connection. Who would I talk to besides another woman?" She looked confused for a second, then her anger renewed and she holstered her gun smoothly.

"You think I'm the weak link in the team, is that it? That seeing a helpless girl like you in this position fills me with some sort of sympathy? Well, let me tell _you_ something-" She lifted one foot and kicked the chair so it fell backwards with a heavy thump, my head bouncing painfully off the wooden floor before she came around and bent over me. "This game you're playing isn't working. It's not doing anything but pissing him off. And once he's had enough of you being the brave little trooper you are now, he'll do things to you I can't even describe. You'll regret you ever had the shitty luck of seeing his face." She straightened, lifting her foot again and driving her heel down onto my stomach. My vision swam again, and a wave of nausea washed over me, but I had long run out of stomach contents so nothing came up. She repeated this move a few more times, until the noise of it all brought Tseng and Rude back in, the latter dragging an enraged Elena from the room.

He didn't say anything as he waited for Rude to return, assuring him the female Turk was calming down and muttering a few other things quietly to him. I felt myself on the verge of blacking out again, but managed to catch Rude denying a turn of his own with me, leaving Tseng and I alone in a painfully silent room. Finally, he spoke, in an almost conspiratorial tone as he tipped my chair back into place and resumed his seat in front of me.

"You upset Elena quite a bit. I haven't seen her act like that in a long time." He waited for me to respond, but I simply stared back into his stony gaze. "You'll talk to her, but not about anything useful, I assume." I raised an eyebrow, as if asking if this upset him.

"That's all fine, of course. You can try and keep up this tight lipped act all you want. We'll just have to move back a step. If you won't even cry out, that will be the focus. Once you'll scream, talking will be no problem at all."

* * *

He was pacing in front of me. Back and forth, back and forth. I couldn't gather the strength to lift my head, so all I could watch were his pristine dress shoes moving across the floor. His gait alone was enough to tell me he was angry, but the sound of him muttering to himself betrayed the emotion as well. He finally stopped in front of me, falling silent, and I noticed a single drop of blood marring the polished leather. Not so pristine after all. I only had a brief moment to enjoy this before I was forced to meet his gaze, a fistful of my dirty, tangled hair pulled achingly tight in his hand. The look in his eyed dispelled any doubts I had about his state. Elena was right, he looked about ready to snap. When he spoke, his voice was low and even, but had gained a strained edge to it.

"You think you're so strong? That I can't make you even whimper?" I tried to stare him down, but my bruised and swollen face must have given him the impression that I was trying to fall unconscious yet again, and he yanked harder, causing me to wince and show that he had my attention. "We'll just see about that. _We- will- just- see_." He let my head fall back into place, shouting for the others. When three other pairs of feet shuffled uncomfortably into the room, he gave an order.

"Untie her." No one moved for a second, unsure if this slightly unhinged Tseng knew what he was doing. "Do it! Untie her!" Elena spoke up first, and I raised my eyes a bit to watch the group.

"Tseng, I don't think... Won't she just try to fight?" There was another tense minute of silence, then the black haired Turk held out a hand.

"Reno. Your weapon." Still only content to watch the floor, the redhead handed over his EMR, and Tseng turned back to me. Without hesitation, he flipped it on and swung hard for my legs. I hardly noticed the jolt it sent through me for the sensation that accompanied a loud crack from my right shin. But still I didn't make a sound, clenching my jaw and biting my cheek, sure that I tore the skin there. When I had the courage to open my eyes and look back up, tears were running down my face, and Tseng looked as if he were about ready to scream. Instead he dropped the weapon and said in that same level voice.

"She won't be able to fight. Now untie her." It was Rude that stood closest to me, and he finally made the move, cutting through my bonds quickly and moving away from me. Everyone watched me as if they expected me to still jump up ready to fight, but I didn't move. Not until Tseng knocked the chair over, sprawling me onto the floor. I landed on my side, suppressing a grunt as the chair clattered down on top of me. Of course, this continued silence only sent Tseng finally careening over the edge, giving in to his anger and letting the calm facade fall away.

"Say something! Make a sound, damn you!" He punctuated each shouted sentence with a kick, and in the process I'm sure more of my bones cracked and gave way to those less and less pristine shoes. I curled into myself as much as I could, but my body protested, not quite listening, and I clenched my eyes shut as darkness and white flashes of pain spotted my vision. He continued like this until a shout cut one of his blows short.

"Stop it already, yo!"

"What did you say?" The voice became less sure of itself, but still sounded urgent, insisting.

"You're gonna kill her is all..."

"Do you have any other suggestions then?"

"I-"

"You want me to use another method, Reno? Is that it? You want me to get her to talk like you did?" I opened my eyes, rolling onto my stomach and gazing bleary eyed at the redhead in the corner.

"I don't know what you're taking about, Tseng. I told you, she wouldn't tell me anything. Outside of what we got at the safe house, I mean. But-" He stopped cold when Tseng laughed, a terrifying sound in the otherwise silent apartment.

"Of course not." He turned back to me, and when he dropped to his knees straddling my back, it seemed everyone realized what he'd meant. I lifted up on my elbows and tried to drag myself away, only moving a few inches before he shoved me back to the floor. My face burned and bled freshly where it had hit the wood, and I quickly found that I lacked the strength to struggle against him.

"Tseng, are you serious-" Reno's protest stopped mid-sentence, no doubt scared into silence by his superior. I could see the three Turks try and avoid watching as he lifted my ruined nightgown out of his way, the sound of clothes rustling disturbingly loud. Bracing himself, he leaned down closer to me snarling in my ear,

"Let's see if I don't owe you that same thousand Reno offered, eh?" At this, Reno's eyes widened with shock, and I'm sure mine did the same, But now it was me who couldn't maintain eye contact as a rough hand invaded me, searching for a sensation that would make me myself away. As time passed, he muttered things to me, trying to goad me, no doubt telling me I liked it among other things. But my senses had failed me, my world coming down to just a hazy vision of the world around me and a vague sense of pain from the Turk's ministrations, his voice a nonspecific rumbling in the background. When Elena made a disgusted face and left the room, I assumed Tseng had finally worked himself up for the real thing. The scene began to jolt back and forth with his thrusting, and Rude joined his comrade in the other room, but when the redhead made a move to leave as well, a shout commanded him to stay. To watch.

I was breathing, that I was sure of, and focusing on the shallow pain of it brought the world back around. I became aware of his hand bearing down on my back, squeezing what little breath I had even harder out of me. From the corner of my eye, I could see him hovering there, a blurred mass of black like death itself. Then his voice was back, and he was calling me names I'd never heard for staying quiet so long. I looked back up to Reno, standing horrified in the corner, looking caught between throwing the man off me and vomiting.

"How about this-" he panted, clearly almost finished with me. "How would you like to have my son? I'll risk giving you that, you whore, if that's how you like to finish. Of course, just say the word, and maybe I'll pull out."

I didn't, and he didn't.

* * *

He stood, his shoes inches from my face as he straightened himself out, and for a moment I thought he was going to kick my teeth in. But he muttered something about a filthy whore, about how I'd finished before he had, and turned to leave. I heard him tell Reno he'd be back the morning after next, that he was leaving Rude to watch him, and to clean up and make sure I didn't die. Then I was alone again, and I closed my eyes, feeling relief and exhaustion wash over me. I reveled in how cool the wood felt against my face and chest, even for how it seemed to be wet. How nice it was to be free of those ropes and laying down finally. But that too was cut short.

"Kemuri." Hands grabbed my shoulders and rolled me onto my back. "Come on, Kemuri, don't give up like this. Open your eyes." I obeyed, finding Reno's ashen face staring down at me, clearly worried.

"There's a good girl. Now just stay awake, alright? And I'll bandage you up a little."

* * *

I jolted awake when he set my leg and one of my arms into splints. A variety of bottles littered the ground around him, potions and elixirs, and I almost cried out when he shot a dose of mako that no doubt belonged to him into the side of my neck.

"Sorry, but it'll act quicker that way. Now you're as best as I can get you, let's clean you up. Can you get up?" I made to shake my head but instead just closed my eyes, hoping he'd leave me alone to sleep or whatever may happen to me on the floor.

* * *

A jet of steaming water blasted me. Somehow he'd carried me into the bathroom, setting me half reclined in the tub as he worked on washing the blood and grime from my unresponsive body. I could do little but watch as he worked, completely focused on the job at hand, and when when he looked up to check on me and our eyes met, I found none of the expected anger in his gaze. I attempted to sneer at him, but the effort sent a jolt of pain through my jaw, so I gave up and closed my eyes again, sure he wouldn't leave me be anytime soon.

* * *

"I can't Rude. If I leave her for five minutes, she's likely to go... Punctured lung, probably... Drown in her own..." I was somewhere soft, warm. I turned my head away from the light, settling against something hard. Slowly my eyes opened again. My bed, the blankets haphazardly gathered up around us, the bulk of my weight supported by Reno who sat against the headboard. I swallowed, my saliva thick with the taste of blood, and groaned at a sharp pain in my chest. He looked down at me, a weak smile on his lips.

"Now how come you couldn't do that a while ago, huh?"

"Fuck you," I groaned. "You're all dead. F-" but I was cut off by a searing cough. Blood spilled down my chin and Reno winced, shifting so that I sat more upright and wiping my chin with the edge of the blanket.

"Don't strain yourself like that, okay? I don't want you d-"

"Let me."

"You know I can't do that." I didn't reply, turning my face away from him to find a more comfortable spot against his shirt. For once, I thought, the smell of his cologne and cigarettes wasn't annoying, but a safer, familiar thing.

"Why can't you just talk? It'll be over as soon as you talk, you realize that don't you?" His voice was desperate. "Why would you rather die than give up an inch to anyone?" I stared down at my arm in its makeshift splint, wincing as the cold damp of my hair sent an excruciating shiver through me. He pulled me tighter to him, checking the blankets again to make sure I was snug and warm, and I finally gave in.

"Why are you doing all this for me? You know you'll have to kill me... when he's done with me. If my body doesn't give out before that..." He looked uncomfortable, his muscles tensing up.

"It's my job, alright?"

"Bullshit. He'd believe you if you said I was too far gone. If you didn't pump me full of mako and whatever magic potions your organization can afford. Poor people die when this happens to them, and I'm not rich." I stifled another cough, and he offered me a glass of water, having to trickle some of it into my mouth. "So why are you trying so hard?"

"Because, Kemuri, you're like me. You're a survivor. You didn't let the home get you, you didn't let the ruin of old Midgar catch you up, you even found a way to beat geostigma. I try not to sound superstitious, but if none of that can kill you, there's got to be a reason you're still alive."

"Sure." He fumbled one-handed through his jacket where it lay on the nightstand, retrieving a cigarette and lighting it with impressive dexterity. It took him a few moments to respond, focusing on the relief from stress that the smoke brought him as he sucked it into his lungs.

"I mean it. And like it or not, we keep getting pulled back into each other's lives. So my thought is-" He took a long drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke before continuing. "Maybe it's my job to help you out every once in a while. To make sure you survive as long as I do. 'Cause who knows what's coming up at the end of all this, but if survivors like us can't make it, then who's there any hope for, yo?" He finished his smoke, pinching it out and leaving the butt on the nightstand, then looked down, putting a hand under my chin and gently raising my head up to look back at him.

"You still awake, darling?" I blinked slowly, enough of a yes for him. "I'm real sorry about this, but I'm not going to be able to let you sleep right away."

"'Course not." He smiled, a real one this time, and let me bury my head back against his chest. Reaching over and flipping the radio on, he sunk down a little, getting more comfortable, then mumbled just above the music,

"If you want to talk or something... I know I'm not the best, what with being the target of your revenge and all..."

"Don't worry about it, Reno. Even you could beat me in a fight tonight. I was just thinking about how stupid you sounded with that speech." It was that same low chuckle he always gave when I insulted him that almost made me forget what had recently occurred and the promise of what lay just a day ahead.


	14. Chapter 14

The mattress shifted, a weight settling next to me. It wasn't until I heard his voice that I realized it was Tseng sitting on the edge of the bed next to me.

"Sleeping comfortably, are you?" I opened my eyes, staring up at him with more ferocity than I'd been able to gather previously. My face no longer swollen as it had been, and body stronger, though still stiff and sore, I pulled myself up to sit a little, maintaining my glare.

"I'll take that as a yes. Well, I'll tell you what then, as my gift to you, you can stay in the bed. I have perfect faith that even if I neglect to restrain you as before, you won't be going anywhere. Now- are you prepared to talk?" I was sure the muscle under one of his eyes twitched when his question was met with perfect silence. "Very well then. I'm glad I've taken a day to rest then. You'll find today to be very strenuous for the both of us." At his word, Elena brought in a bag that he opened to reveal various instruments he intended to use on me, and it was less than an hour and two of said devices that I blacked out.

"Wake up!" He barked, the palm of his hand hitting only hard enough to rouse me. Somehow most of the day had passed, the blazing orange of the setting sun slanting into the room. I turned my head away from it, but a hand grabbed my chin, stopping me face to face with the black haired Turk.

"I am just about tired of this. You will break, and before sunrise, I promise you that. Maybe you're too dazed to notice, but your breathing is awfully erratic, Kemuri. If I'm not mistaken, you're not much short of giving me what I want. All I need is that little crack. Just open your mouth a little bit and..." It seemed this gave him an idea, and he forced my mouth open, straddling me on the bed to get the leverage he needed.

If Elena hadn't stayed out of the proceedings today, I'm sure she would have been quite upset at her dear, saintly Tseng's perfect manhood crammed at the back of my throat.

This time Rude stood next to Reno, watching his friend and looking awkward as he tried not to glance at what seemed to be an unorthodox scene, even for Turks. Of course, it didn't satisfy the leader of the group that he was the only one talking in the room, so soon enough my face was being driven into the mattress by one hand as he repeated his actions of the previous days. I was surprised at myself once again at how numbed I was feeling to everything, how disturbingly calm I was, as if I was watching an empty shell go through this as I hovered just outside it. At how I even had the peace of mind to notice someone had turned the radio up instead of off.

It didn't occur to me until my fingers and toes started tingling and the pain of my bruises and cuts returned, almost overwhelming the violation going on, that Reno had spiked the mako with something else to render me almost completely catatonic. I turned my eyes up toward him, and it was obvious to him I'd known what he did to spare me only because it had worn off, and he tore his gaze from me, lighting a cigarette and focusing on it instead.

"Well then," Tseng's voice chimed in next to my ear between pants of exertion. "Seems you're breathing awful hard yourself, Kemuri. Too bad you won't get a chance to catch it." He heaved himself off me and turned to the other two men as he tucked his shirt in. "Go on, who's next? Rude?" The bald man shook his head, glancing over his superior's shoulder at me for an instant.

"I'm... not into seconds, boss. Plus, there ain't no cure for the stigma, and even if she really is fine, I don't want to risk it." Tseng sighed, then looked at his last coworker.

"Reno. It's up to you." Just by the sound of his voice, I knew he was smiling.

"I... ah-"

"You will. I'm not asking you. This is an order, Reno. You break her silence. Go on." Tseng stepped aside and Reno move to the edge of the bed, hesitating and looking back over his shoulder.

"Can't I just hit her or something?" The look on Tseng's face was answer enough, and Reno clenched his jaw, then bent down to me, grabbing my shoulder and turning me so I lay on my back. For a moment the he looked at the fresh blood stains uneasily, then he closed his eyes for a long breath and climbed onto the bed. I turned my head away, looking out at the lights of the city as it grew darker, trying to ignore the feeling of him on top of me, but blocking things out became hard with Tseng's goading from a few feet away. My breath came in a sharp gasp as he entered me, like a knife stabbing into my abdomen.

"Hey," his voice drew my eyes back up to his. "Just focus on me okay?" He mumbled low enough so that only I could hear the words under the radio. The others must have thought he was simply muttering to himself.

"Just look me in the eyes. I'm... I'm sorry. I know it hurts, sweetheart, but it'll be over soon enough. Just block them out, focus on me." One hand came up and cupped the side of my face, keeping me from turning away from him. He took longer than Tseng, due to his trying to spare me, but eventually his breaths were as erratic as mine, and the look in his eyes were something like regret as he neared his climax.

"Kemuri, I want you to listen to me. I know this situation is bad, but just listen okay? I have to tell you-" I felt him tense up, on the very verge of release. "I think I'm falling in love with you."

I didn't realize I was the one yelling until he clapped a hand over my mouth, unable to keep himself from finishing, but wincing as if I'd hit him.

"Let her scream, Reno!" Tseng grinned, practically overjoyed. "You're brilliant! Go clean yourself up, I'll finish this and meet you downstairs." He didn't hesitate for a second, not waiting for solitude before grabbing me by an arm and dragging me off the bed, thudding to the floor and sliding roughly across it behind him. In the middle of the room, he let go and turned on me, crouching down to my level.

"You know he said that because I told him to, right? He's been doing his job all along. Everything you've seen has been what I wanted you to see." I shook my head, trying to scoot away, but as I moved, he seized my splinted leg and held me in place. "Down to the last detail, Kemuri, I have orchestrated this. Even Reno doesn't know the depths I've gone to to prevent things from going you and your brothers' way."

"I- I won't tell you-" He clapped a hand over my mouth as well, letting go of my leg to hold my head still.

"I know. You were trained to well to not give in to torture. Truth is, I don't really need whatever paltry information Kadaj has given you. I already know everything I need to know to stop him. Now, it would have been a plus if we could've gotten some of the cure from you, for Mr. Shinra, but I imagine they only cured you, not gave you the cure. This has all been to send a message to them. To you. Shinra electric power company may not be what it once was, but we are not weak." A hand tightened on my throat, squeezing a moan out of me along with my breath.

"The mission the four of you seem so set on is hopeless. And your death will be the message that shows how little tolerance we have for those in your line of duty." He removed his hand from my mouth, pressing me by my neck against the foot of the bed, and used his free hand to pull a gun from inside his jacket. "Despite all of this, I respect your resolve. I thought for sure you'd slip when I broke your leg, and even after that when I fucked you. Because of that respect, I'm going to tell you a little news before I shoot you. Just in case you get a chance to talk to someone before you die."

"I'm not going to die here, I don't care what you do, I'm going to get back at all of you for this-"

"Yes, yes, revenge. I know how excited you get at the prospect of that. But let me assure you, even if you do manage to survive my bullet, when the real fight comes, you'll be killed. You picked the wrong side of the battle, Kemuri, and you'll pay for it. But that's not what I wanted to tell you, and this bickering is just wasting my time. Be quiet." His grip tightened again, crushing the air out of me.

"There we are. What I wanted to tell you is that in our research on you, we found some very interesting information. As it turns out, you weren't taken into that orphanage because you were a street urchin like most of the others. You had a family who sold you off. Normally they don't keep records of things like that, but Mr. Shinra's father was a meticulous man, and as it turned out your family was a gold mine of talent. Of course, no one knew that at the time, but because you weren't an only child your family was recorded." He grinned, responding to the shocked look on my face.

"Unfortunately, both of your parents are dead. But your brother is still alive. In fact, you've probably met him already, though you didn't know it at the time." He chuckled to himself. "Although, if you follow all of that brother shit that Kadaj's gang do, you'd still consider him your brother. Kind of ironic, isn't it?" He realized suddenly that I was clawing at his hand for air, and got back on track, relenting only slightly to keep me conscious. "Anyways, your brother is Cloud Strife." I barely had time to hear the name finished before he fired.


	15. Chapter 15

The dark haired woman paced on front of the door, cell phone clasped in one hand. She'd knocked several times with no answer, and she was tempted to return the call she'd received only minutes before, even if the man on the other end demanded she not. She tried the door one more time, and then made a decision. Taking a deep breath, Tifa stepped back and kicked the wooden barrier, all but tearing it from its hinges. She saw nothing at first, but a glance toward the bedroom made her heart skip a beat. Just visible through the doorway were a pair of feet, one discolored and swollen, in a makeshift splint. She moved cautiously down the hallway, finally coming upon the scene of her blonde friend propped against the food of her bed. The room was strewn with blood, and the girl herself was unconscious, blood leaking from a wound in her abdomen. Tifa flew to her side, falling to her knees, tears already in her eyes.

"Oh, Kemuri," she said breathlessly. "Why would they do this to you?" As soon as she said it she knew there couldn't be a good reason to do this to someone. Not if she was right about who had done it. Biting back anger, she flipped open the bag she had slung over her shoulder, pulling out an array of items she hoped would help. But first she had to know how bad it was. The blonde was still breathing, although the breaths were shallow and it sounded like her lungs were half full of liquid.

"Kemuri, can you hear me? If you can, open your eyes, okay honey?" She wasn't sure the other woman even could, for all the bruises and swelling on her beaten form. "Come on, I know you're strong, you can-" she was cut off by her cell ringing, scaring her in the almost complete silence.

"H-hello?" she answered shakily, reaching over to Kemuri's face as she did and turning it toward her. There was a mark on her neck from an injection, but lacking any kind of shots herself, she managed to pour most of a potion down the girl's throat as she talked.

"Is she alive?" The voice on the other end asked.

"How did you know about this? How come you didn't-"

"Look, there's nothing I could do, my hands are tied here, yo." he interrupted angrily. "The best I could do for her was call you while no one was watching me. So just tell me, _is__ she__ alive_?"

"Barely. And no thanks to your employer. Listen-" But the line went dead. She sighed and put the phone away, moving back to the task at hand.

It took time, much diligence, and probably a little luck, if Tifa was right, but soon enough, Kemuri was at least laying in her bed, breathing easier and no longer bleeding. There was still no telling how well she would come out of this, or if she would at all, but there was nothing else to be done at the moment. So in the absence of anything else to do, not wanting to go back to the seventh heaven in the absence of both of the children and Cloud, Tifa took to cleaning. Once the girl was laying on a clean set of sheets at least, she set about everything else. It was while she was trying to scrub some of the bloodstains off the wooden floor when Kemuri woke up.

Tifa jumped, scared by the shout, then moved to the side of the bed, sitting down to comfort the girl. Her eyes were glazed over, half lost in a pain fueled delirium. But she seemed to recognize Tifa.

"Tifa... They shot me. I forgot how much that hurts, getting shot."

"Shh, I know. You're going to be okay now, Kemuri. I'm here."

"How did you know?"

"Reno called me and told me what happened." At the mention of Reno, the girl's eyes welled up and she began shaking with built up emotion.

"That bastard... He did this Tifa, he told them!" She struggled to sit up, but her cracked ribs prevented it, and Tifa gently pushed her back to the pillows. "He..."

"Calm down, Kemuri, you're in pretty bad shape. Just rest, okay? And we can talk about it when you get better." She rolled onto her side, tears spilling out, and Tifa reached out, stroking her hair to calm her.

"I can still feel them." Her eyes squeezed shut and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I can still taste him." Tifa flinched at this, her own eyes threatening to fill again. How could someone like Kemuri have deserved anything like this? But Tifa knew for her friend's sake she had to stay calm, in control, so she nodded.

"Shh. Don't think about that now. It's all over, and I promise they won't ever hurt you again. Just get some sleep okay?" Kemuri seemed to listen, and Tifa remained sitting by her side until she was asleep. But when she stood, the blonde called out again, groggily.

"Tifa?"

"Yeah?"

"In my nightstand... There's a mako injector."

"Mako? That can't be, I mean..." Kemuri opened her eyes, her look pleading but deadly serious.

"I know... But I need it... Please..." She clenched her jaw, groaning and moving her good hand to her side, pressing it to a painful spot. Without another question, Tifa retrieved the mako, knowing that the small mark on her neck was from the same drug, and waiting for her suddenly relieved friend to pass out, body forcing her to get the rest she needed. Shaken, Tifa ignored the half scrubbed floor and took as seat at the kitchen table, pulling out her phone again and dialing. She ran a hand through her hair then rested her elbow on the table, supporting her head with her hand while she waited.

"Yes?"

"Cloud, I-"

"Did Marlene show up?"

"No. Cloud, I just _know_ she'd follow Denzel wherever he went. If he's really up there, they both are." He sighed.

"I know. What is it?"

"It's just... Do you remember Kemuri? The girl who was helping me out at the Seventh Heaven?" He didn't say anything. "I, um, I'm at her place right now, and she's been beat to hell. By Shinra, as far as I can tell. And she's um... She keeps mako in her nightstand. She injects it into her body. I just don't know what to do, I don't know what all this means..."

"Tifa. You can handle it. If she's your friend, you help her. Just don't get yourself killed before I get back." He paused for a second. "I have to go. Take care of yourself." He didn't wait for her to reply, but she knew he was just in a hurry. Especially because the kids were in danger. When he was on a mission, he was terribly single minded. But what really caught her off guard was his, albeit strange, sentiment. 'Don't get yourself killed...' He wanted to see her again. Maybe just for more comfort, she knew she couldn't hope for him to make a complete turn around so quickly. But regardless. Tifa smiled to herself, newly determined to take care of things as long as she could. Or at least until Cloud came home.

* * *

Kemuri's point of view

* * *

Tifa was sitting next to the bed, slouched in a chair with a book open across her lap. There was a moment of panic when I first opened my eyes, not recognizing where I was, but seeing Tifa seated there was reassuring. Shifting slightly to sit up, I reached over to the small table between the two beds in the room, taking up a glass of water and draining it quickly. It burned in my throat, and the groan that came from it startled Tifa awake.

"Oh, Kemuri, you're up!" She sounded relieved, but there was still worry in her eyes. "You've been out for almost three days, I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to..." she trailed off at the grim prospect, then changing the subject. "Well, Yuffie and the others, you haven't met them yet, they helped out a lot. Without them, you'd be a lot worse off."

"You mean they got you meds. So you wouldn't have to take me to a real doctor." Tifa dropped her gaze to her lap.

"It's just that a hospital would've been... They would've looked for you there..." I realized my words had sounded harsh, hurting her feelings. She must have been pretty upset over my state.

"Listen, Tifa, I want to thank you. For coming to my rescue like this. I owe you, you've done a lot for me recently. But I... Can't stay here." She looked up at me.

"What? You can't go back to your apartment, that's too dangerous!"

"I know."

"And Kemuri- your leg is still in pretty bad shape! It's only just healed from that accident you were in."

"I know."

"Then just stay here a while, okay? Until Cloud gets back with the kids. We'll protect you from Shinra, I promise, and we'll help you find a new place, to start over."

"I can't start over. Not yet... Tifa, where are the kids?"

"Denzel, he..." her eyes brimmed with tears. "He ran away with some guy who said he could cure geostigma. They took all the sick kids in Edge. And Marlene, she went with him. She didn't want him to be alone."

"They went to the Forgotten City..."

"Yeah, that's where Cloud is now, getting them ba- how did you know that?"

"It's a long story." She seemed upset now, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

"Well, you'll have time to tell it to me, since you're not going anywhere." I shook my head.

"I can't stay here. You and the kids... Your friends... You're good people. Good enough, anyways, for all I know. If you try and keep me here, I'll only bring trouble. They'll come for me. After all you've done for me, I can't bring this down on you. I have to go." I pushed the covers back and swung my feet over the edge of the bed, clenching my jaw as every sore muscle creaked awake.

"Can't you just wait for Cloud? He can give you a ride... To your brothers, or anywhere you want. Please, Kemuri, just let us help you!"

"If you want to help me, then go to my apartment. Get me some clothes, the rest of the mako, and my scooter. And under the bed... There's a box. I'll need that too."

"Sure," Tifa stood, moving to the door. "How will I know I have the right box? What's in it?"

"It'll be the only box there. You won't have to look inside it." She waited, obviously done letting me be so mysterious. "I'll tell you what I can when you get back, alright?" My voice cracked, throat still sore, and she took pity on me, nodding.

"Alright. There's food in the fridge... Do you want me to bring something up for you?" I shook my head.

"No. I can make it downstairs if I need something. But I'm just going to clean up is all." She tried to smile, and pointed out the bathroom to me on her way out. She laid out an extra set of pajamas on the uninhabited bed, and finally left me to my own devices for however long her trip would take her. I limped down the hallway to the bathroom, supporting myself on one wall, and by the time I'd managed to begin running a bath I had to rest against the edge of the tub to catch my breath. Then I began the chore of undressing and removing whatever bandages I'd been wrapped up in.

The sight of me in the full length mirror on the wall was frightening, and I began to understand why Tifa was so worried. Even after days of rest and being fixed up by expensive potions, it was almost difficult to find an inch of skin that wasn't cut or bruised a deep purple, and deep breaths were out of the question at what must have been ribs that were only technically held in one piece. Thankfully, once I was sunk into the steaming water, I didn't have to stare at my reflection anymore. I let out my breath slowly, leaning my head gingerly back against the cold porcelain of the tub and closing my eyes.

"Just focus on me.." My eyes flew open and I jolted upright, gritting my teeth against the pain. Convinced for a moment the voice was real, I almost climbed out of the tub, but the silence of the house was almost oppressive. I was alone. I settled back down, trying to relax in the pinkish water that burned my skin and scoured my wounds, and closed my eyes again.

"I know it hurts, sweetheart, but it'll be over soon enough..." I lifted my head, sinking lower into the tub. When the water filled my ears and blurred my vision, I hoped I had the isolation I wanted, even if I couldn't close my eyes. I watched the ceiling shift above me, and slowly blinked the blood tinged water out of my eyes.

"I think I'm in love with you." And there he was, a watery vision just above me. He'd come to finish the job, a sorry look in his eye like he actually worried about me. I felt nauseous as his hands reached down into the water, pulling me to the surface. But when I broke into the air, it was Tifa pulling me up, looking terrified. Even more sick to my stomach, I leaned over the side, pushing her back, and vomited water and bile onto the rug.

"Kemuri, what's going on? What are you doing?" She continued in this vein as I heaved again, but there was nothing left to purge. I took a moment to catch my breath, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, then looked up at her.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself. I'm fine." She didn't look like she fully believed me, but I offered no further reassurance. "If you want to hear what I've got to say, you might as well sit down and hear it now."

"Don't you want to enjoy the rest of your bath alone? You can take your time." I reached up and pulled the shower curtain between us.

"Sit down and listen, or wonder about it." Her shadow slipped down to the floor, and I sunk back into the warmth of the water.


	16. Chapter 16

"When I was born, I had a family. A mother and a father. I don't know if they couldn't afford to take care of me, or if they just didn't want a daughter, but I guess it doesn't matter in the long run. What matters is they sold me to an orphanage in Midgar. Probably seemed like a nice one, a real charity run by the Shinra Electric Power Company. On the plate and everything. Only this orphanage wasn't just raising children, they were secretly creating soldiers."

"Soldiers?" The word seemed to scare her.

"Yeah. Like the military they used to have, but trained from childhood. Better, more loyal, whatever. We were their property because we didn't have parents. They tried experimental procedures on us, new methods of training. They got us all addicted to mako, for one. I still haven't broken that, and it's been years. But I guess they decided that the program was a bust, that my generation was too unstable to be used in the long run. So they did what they had to do, to wipe us out..." I must have trailed off, because I jumped when she pulled the curtain back and touched my arm.

"Kemuri? Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"You don't have to tell me. It was selfish of me to ask in the first place."

"No, it's fine. It's kind of nice actually, to know that someone will have known about me. That I actually existed."

"You're talking like you don't intend to live through the next few days, Kemuri. I told you, we won't let anything happen to you."

"I don't know what's going to happen. It doesn't matter much to me, either way. Where was I?"

"The orphanage..."

"Right. The kids my age, we weren't the first generation, see? So they sent one of their earlier prototypes in. A successful one, even if he was only a year or two older. He killed everyone except me, and that was through a mistake in judgement. He thought I was done for, and he left me to die in the street. Only I didn't. I woke up weeks later in the slums of sector seven. I didn't know who saved me, and I doubt I'll ever find out. Listen to me get off topic...

"I'd never been below the plate before, but it didn't take me long to figure out what it took to make a living. And I made a promise to myself, that no matter how long it took me, I would get revenge on that boy for killing the only family I'd ever known. In the meantime, I lived as a mercenary of sorts, doing whatever was needed by whoever could pay. Of course, it took a lot of work to stay below the radar of Shinra and its SOLDIER program in that line of work, and it was almost a relief when Midgar was destroyed."

"A relief?" Tifa broke in. "What happened wasn't-"

"I know a lot of decent people suffered then. It wasn't easy for me either, I almost died when they dropped the plate. And I know some big things happened back then too, but this isn't the story what happened to the planet, or its heroes. It's my story. The destruction of Midgar released me from who I was, and I got a chance to start over with a new life. So I got a real, honest job as a secretary for the 'reformed' Shinra company. I realized that I either had the very best or worst luck possible when that same boy from the orphanage walked in the door. Of course, he was a man now, but that didn't change anything. I was back on track, and my new, clean life wasn't going to last.

"Have you ever done something bad with a man, Tifa? When your head is telling you that what you're doing is the worst possible choice you could've made, but it just feels _so __goddamn__ good_ that it doesn't matter?"

"Uh.."

"You don't have to admit to anything. My point is, I hated that man, everything about him. How he flirts like it's going out of style. He smokes like he doesn't need oxygen. The way he looks at you, like he knows he's got you before you do. His stupid ponytail, and that obnoxious color that he keeps his hair. And how he says yo sometimes at the end of his sentence, and he doesn't even realize it. It's natural to him. All of it is. Just like murdering a bunch of kids was natural to him. I thought it would only be the one kiss, at first. Because I was his captive, and things get weird when you're alone and being tortured by someone. Then maybe just once, one time in his bed, to get him out of my system. That I could forget him, or kill him after that. But it just kept happening, I couldn't stop myself anymore. All it took was for him to give me that look, just hint at what he wanted from me, and I couldn't say no." My drying hair dripped a cold bead of water down my neck, and shifted lower, letting the water come up to my chin. She took the pause to ask a question, sounding scared of the prospect itself.

"This wasn't the first time they tortured you? But when... And why?"

"Oh, it was almost nothing the first time. You could barely even call it torture, really. Most of the worst of it was he wouldn't give me mako unless I cooperated, and the injuries from that damn crash."

"You mean when your leg was broken? That was Shinra?"

"Yeah. I showed up to get my revenge, only I slipped and they caught me interrogating Mr. Shinra at the end of a gun. I had to retreat, they had me out-manned. I should have known the extent they'd go to when they showed up in a helicopter and shot an innocent man just to get to me." She gasped, realizing the lie I'd told her beforehand and the more violent truth behind it. After this, she seemed truly interested in how I could've become so involved with the people who'd kidnapped me.

"But what happened? How did it turn out like this?"

"He tried to act like he's my friend, like he knows what's best for me. Tried to tell me he's on my side and he wants to help. And then.. then he leads them right to my door. Lets them work me over, just stands by and watches it happen. They had me for a week- must have been, even if the timeline is shaky- and he didn't do a thing about it. Sure, he gave me some mako, some meds, kept me alive, but for what? To give me some sorry face and tell me he loves me?"

"Kemuri! You mean all this time, Reno was- and he- he loves you? This is- I mean, this is-"

"He lied. Everything he did, every single kind word he said to me was a show. He was playing me. So that it would hurt that much more when Shinra decided to finish me off."

"That can't be-"

"No? Best case scenario, he was only trying to gain my trust enough to keep tabs on me. That way they wouldn't have too look for me too hard. Not much better..."

"No," she pulled the curtain back, grabbing my arm to make me listen to her. "It's not true, I know that much. He called me, Kemuri, as soon as he left you, he called me and told me you were in trouble. That I had to come over and help you, and bring medicine. He gave me your address, and he called back to make sure you were alive!" I looked over at her, seeing my reflection behind her in the mirror. Even I was surprised at how lifeless my stare looked.

"He was just checking up on the situation. Now he knows I'm not dead, they still have a job to finish. Especially now, I can't stay." The room fell silent for a few seconds, and she finally offered in a timid voice,

"I wouldn't let them come in the door, no less put a hand on you."

"I know. You'd fight, and you'd make your case to Cloud, and maybe he'd fight. But you have other things to worry about. And I'm not finished yet." I turned away from her, looking at the tiles on the wall across from me. "The box is full of weapons, Tifa. That's what this comes down to. That boy is going to pay for all the things he's done, they all will. I'm going to have my revenge, and whether it becomes the end of me or not isn't important. If I die, at the very least, Reno is coming with me." I seemed to have finally shocked her into silence, knowing for sure that her arguments wouldn't ruin my resolve. Instead she stood and left, returning moments later with a pile of clothes and towels, and a few other personal items, setting them on the counter. Feeling bad about being so harsh with her when she was clearly worried about more than just me, and a little guilty about leaving some of the finer points of my story out, I mumbled to her.

"If you want, I'll stay until Cloud gets back. But just until then, no longer. And if they come for me, promise not to get yourself involved, okay?"

"I-"

"Promise. Or I'm leaving as soon as I'm dressed. I won't have you hurt on my behalf." She sighed.

"Alright. I promise." She turned to go, but stopped, looking back. "Kemuri, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"You said that your family gave you up to that orphanage. But a few weeks ago, you said you were visiting your brothers for a week. Did you end up finding your family, or were you adopted when you lived in sector seven?"

"Brothers is a loose term. They aren't family by blood, or anything like that. I suppose you could say we have a lot in common, and have bonded because of the shared experience. It's usually easier to call each other family than to explain the long version."

"I see." She hesitated, but didn't press the subject any further. "Well, I'm going to cook something, I feel half starved myself. You can go ahead back to bed and relax if you want, and I'll bring it up and eat with you. Take your time, though, don't strain yourself." She closed the door quietly, and I heard her footsteps retreat down the hall. I stood slowly, letting the water out of the tub, then turning the shower head on. The water shooting down at me stung at first, but my body numbed to it quickly enough, and I finally began to really scrub the grime of the last week from my skin.

A little fresh blood flowed from my cuts, but nothing major seemed to reopen, and when I stepped steaming from the shower my skin looked red and raw, but at least I felt a semblance of clean. I brushed my teeth two or three times, combed my hair out, and put on the pajamas Tifa had brought me. By the time I made it back to the children's bedroom, she was already back in her chair, staring at a series of pictures pinned to the far wall as she ate. I sat on the edge of the bed I'd been in, and she looked up.

"Oh, there you are. You look much better, Kemuri. I hope you feel-"

"I feel great. Considering." She laughed weakly, and took another bite of her sandwich.

"I made you some soup, too, just in case your throat hurts too much for the sandwich." I picked up the latter first, my stomach growling at the sight of food. Tifa was right, swallowing the solid food hurt, but I was too starved to stop now, eating both sandwich and soup without a pause. She made a comment about my appetite, but still insisted that I rest, and I laid back against the pillows. Tifa finished her food and stood, gathering everything up and telling me she'd leave me to sleep on my own.

"I'm not tired. I've had plenty of sleep."

"Well, as long as you're resting, I suppose it's alright. Do you want me to bring you a book or something?"

"I was hoping you would... Stay with me? I don't like the silence, and the house is unfamiliar. If something happens, it would be best if we were close, right?" She smiled, setting the tray of dishes down on the dresser by the door and coming to sit down again.

"Nothing's going to happen, Kemuri. You don't have to be so worried."

"Still..." I insisted.

"Alright. I'll stay here tonight. If it makes you feel better." She moved the chair aside and reclined against the headboard of the other bed. "So, do you want to talk about something?"

"What's Cloud like?" She looked surprised.

"Cloud? Why do you ask?" Now I was caught off guard.

"I just... You said you'd been friends your whole lives. And I can tell you really care about him. I just wondered, what makes you like him so much?"

"Oh... Well, he's kind. Really kind, one of the most caring people I've ever met. He'll go to the ends of the planet to protect his friends. And he keeps his word. He told me when we were kids that no matter what, he would always protect me if I was in trouble, and he has. He's saved my life more than once, even if it almost cost him his. He's brave, even if he's facing terrifying odds, he stands up for what he thinks is right..."

"What's he like as a person?"

"He's uh... Kind of moody sometimes. And he's definitely immature. If he thinks something's his fault, he can't forgive himself, and it really gets him down... He's not altogether reliable, he never shows up when you want him to, and he doesn't even answer his phone most of the time." She laughed. "Doesn't sound so good, does it?"

"Everyone has their faults... What about his parents?"

"What?"

"I was just wondering... If he turned out so good, what're his parents like? I- I never had any, is all..."

"His father died when we were young. Too young to remember, really, at least for me. But his mom... She was something. All of those things I said about Cloud? That's where he got them. No one that met her didn't love her right away. And she was beautiful. Really beautiful, even if they couldn't afford fancy clothes or anything. She worked really hard to raise Cloud on her own, but she was still so nice to everyone... You probably don't want to hear all this."

"She sounds great."

"She was. She died a few years ago..."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She mumbled something and fell silent. In the absence of knowing what else to say on that subject, I pulled the covers aside and scooted beneath them, facing Tifa.

"You know, If you don't mind sharing some more with me, I'd like to hear more about you. How you came to own a bar in Edge and all." She looked skeptical. "Think of it as a bedtime story?"

"It might be easier if I just told you one of those," she chuckled, "They're a lot nicer to hear, and I know a lot of them."

"Either way," I replied, settling into the most comfortable position I could manage.

"Let me see... I was born in a town called Nibelheim..."


	17. Chapter 17

The room was darkened, the curtains only allowing a hint of daylight outside. I would have rolled away from it still, had my body not been stiff with aches, so I turned my head. I almost screamed when I did, finding a man with spiked blond hair sitting in the chair between the beds, watching me. It took me a few seconds to recognize Cloud from our previous short meeting, and I pulled myself up to sit against the headboard while I waited for my heart to slow down.

"You're back." He didn't say anything. "Shouldn't you wake Tifa up and tell her the three of you are home?" A muscle in his jaw clenched.

"There's only two of us. Let her sleep." I almost asked him what had happened, but I figured he wouldn't share with me anyways, so I kept my mouth shut until he spoke again. "When I met you, you acted like you recognized me. Do you know me from somewhere?"

"Tifa told me a little about you, but no, I don't know you."

"What were you going to say?"

"Excuse me?"

"Before you got interrupted, you were going to say something about me. You... saw something. Tell me."

"I- I don't know-"

"You can't fool me, I saw something too. How do you know Sephiroth?" I was shocked to hear him accuse me so suddenly, and it took longer than he would've liked to recover.

"I don't."

"_Liar_." His voice held a frightening venom, a hidden anger he didn't look capable of on the surface.

"I'm telling the truth. I never met the man. I have no reason to lie to you."

"Then you know Kadaj. And the other two." I smiled, finally feeling a bit like my old self in the face of an interrogation. Besides, I doubted he'd put a hand on me with Tifa sleeping so close by.

"Well, that's debatable. Have I fallen in with them on occasion? Maybe. But do I _know_ them? Does anyone really know anyone else?"

"Are you helping them?"

"Why are you asking me about this? Even if I told him to give your kid back, he wouldn't listen to me."

"I have to kill them."

"We all have our problems."

"If you're with them, I'll have to kill you too. Tifa likes you, but this isn't something small we're talking about."

"If that's why you're sitting here, do it." I sat up on the edge of the bed, face to face with him. "I won't abide whispered threats. Do it now or leave me be, _big__ brother_." His eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped. In an instant, his hand was around my throat, pinning me to the bed as he loomed above me.

"You _are_ with them." I stared at him, waiting for him to make a move. "Why?"

"They offered me the one thing I want more than anything in the world."

"You won't bring him back. You will _not_ destroy this planet."

"What they offered me is the chance to look a man in the eye, and end his life." His gaze hardened, and I choked out a laugh, surprising him. "Not you! Not.. you."

"Who?"

"The redheaded Turk."

"Why?"

"Revenge isn't a simple thing, Cloud. The way you're acting, I think you probably understand that. All of this is beside the point. If you'll let me go, we can talk like two humans." He hesitated, but finally released me, returning to his chair. I rubbed my neck, feeling the spots where bruises that were just starting to fade would now worsen. But his patience was now gone.

"Say your piece, and get out of this house."

"First of all, they haven't told me what their plan is. All they've said is they're having a reunion, and judging by how angry you are, you probably know more than I do about it. All I know is they told me I could have my revenge. As long as you don't try and save the Turk's life, we won't have to fight at all. You can do whatever you want to them, it's up to strength who wins."

"Fine. Get out." I looked toward the door, where Tifa had settled a bag with my things in it.

"Can I have a moment to put my own clothes on? These aren't street-worthy, and they're borrowed from Tifa..." He stood and followed me to the bathroom, standing outside the door as I pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, then down to the bar, where I struggled to pull on my boots. He didn't say a word as he dropped my bag at my feet, so I picked up my helmet and sat back.

"Tifa asked me to stay until morning. Well, until you got back. She'll be disappointed I didn't say-" He turned on a heel and disappeared back upstairs, the sounds of distressed talking following his footsteps. Shortly Tifa stumbled down the steps half awake, Cloud just behind her with a firm grip on one of her arms.

"Cloud, what's all this about? I'm glad you're back, but-"

"Kemuri is leaving." She pulled from his grasp, looking between the two of us.

"What? It's the middle of the night..."

"She insists." He said stiffly, staring at me. Tifa followed his gaze to me. I shrugged at her, setting the helmet on my head and standing.

"I told you, Tifa, just until Cloud gets back. And he's back."

"But-"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I started to turn but Tifa pulled me into a tight hug.

"Take care, Kemuri. Be careful. And when this all blows over, come back and see us?" She pulled away, and I hefted my bag onto my shoulder.

"I'll do my best."

The wind was blowing strongly outside, whipping my hair around my face. I climbed onto my scooter and pulled my goggles down over my face, starting it up and zipping away without a real plan of action. When I passed the open air restaurant on my way north out of the city, the thought hit me that Shinra might already be looking for me, since it was clear at least one of their employees knew I'd survived. Riding a few blocks back into the city, I made sure I wasn't being followed, then pulled off into an alley and cut the engine, pulling my phone out of my bag.

I hesitated before sending my call, wondering if they'd tapped my phone. They could find me immediately that way, and there was no way I could outrun them on a scooter. Not when they had helicopters at their disposal.

"No matter," I muttered, hitting the button and pressing the device to my ear.

"It's about time you called," Kadaj's voice sounded a bit irritated.

"I've been busy."

"Busy fucking your enemy?" I flinched, glad he couldn't see how he was getting to me.

"Busy getting tortured and nearly shot to death by him and his comrades."

"I see."

"Yeah. It's too bad you didn't show up like last time and help your sister out." He laughed.

"Everyone has to grow up sometime. It seems like you managed to survive just fine, and I'm sure it's put you back in your right mind."

"Sure."

"So why this early morning call? What can I do for you, sister?"

"I can't go back to my apartment, and from what I hear, you and the others are starting to make your move. Something about a bunch of children?"

"Ah, yes, the children. You want to join us?"

"You already know my answer."

"But it's so nice to hear you say it." I sighed.

"I'm ready to take my place in the reunion."

"That's wonderful news. Meet us on the old highway heading north from the city. Right where the cliffs give you a view of the ruins and Edge. We'll be waiting with bated breath, sister." The line went dead, and I started up my engine once more, pushing the vehicle north as fast as it would go. Before I did, though, I tucked my gun in the waistband of my pants, within easy reach in case someone tried to run me down on the road.

* * *

The three of them lounged against a large truck as I rode up to the spot. When I approached them on foot, Kadaj was the only one who stepped off and greeted me, though I'm sure all of them noticed my limp, even in the cloudy dim light of the morning. He put an arm around me, leading me close to the edge of the cliff, stopping when we stood next to a rusted sword sticking from the ground like a grave marker.

"The city still has some beauty, even like this, don't you agree?" As we looked out over Edge, and entwined with it, Midgar, I had to admit, he was right. Physically at least, the city was a sight to see. But I turned away from it, facing him.

"I don't want to talk anymore." He glanced over at me.

"Your hair has grown. It was so short the last time I saw you, and look at it now."

"Kadaj-"

"I think it looks beautiful. I always liked it longer, Kemuri. Especially now that you've got those bangs-"

"_I __don__'__t __want __to __talk __about __bullshit __like__ this __anymore!_"

"What do you want to do then?"

"Kill him."

"Him?"

"I want to kill the boy."

"Just the boy?"

"I'll kill them all, if I get the chance. I'll kill anyone you tell me to." He smiled.

"Good. Then follow my instructions, and we'll get started." He turned to point at the back of the truck, where in the gloom of the canvas roof I could see children huddled, watching us.

"Those are our brothers and sisters. Our first job will be to place them around the monument. They will serve as a distraction mostly, for those foolish enough to try and stop us will not attack their own children to get to us. When we get everything ready, the 'heroes' are sure to flock to us. You can have your pick of them then."

"Fine." I took a step toward the truck, but he stopped me.

"Kemuri, they've treated you harshly. True, you'll be strengthened by mother, but until we get her, it would be stupid of me to let you risk your life in the condition you're in."

"You want me to hide, then? I won't miss my chance, Kadaj."

"It's good to see you so eager, finally," he grinned, "But you misunderstand me. I merely want you to hold here a little. Loz has some more gifts, as he likes to call them. Stay here and prepare yourself. When you are ready, come down to the square and meet us. By then, we will have mother again, and our final act will be set into motion." He moved away as suddenly as ever, climbing behind the wheel of the truck. Yazoo climbed in next to him, and they pulled away, leaving Loz and I alone. He smiled widely at me, and I finally approached him.

"We got you some presents, sister."

"So I've heard." He handed me a bundle wrapped in brown paper, and I unwrapped it quickly to find a fairly normal looking sword nestled in a box. "Hmm," I teased, "After all of that, everyone still gets more exciting weapons than me." His smile only grew.

"Draw it and see." I did as he said, and when the sword was unsheathed, I still saw nothing about it to make him so pleased. It wasn't until he pointed it out that I noticed the weight of the weapon and finally discovered its secret. One half of the formerly boring sword in each hand, I returned his smile.

"Butterfly swords. The biggest I've ever seen."

"Pretty cool, huh?" I nodded, and put the weapons away, holding the sheathed thing in one hand as he pulled out his other present. "I've got to catch up to the others, so I can't wait to see your face when you open this one. But I know you'll like it." He jumped onto his massive bike and left me in a cloud of dust to open my last present alone. This time I smiled at the care they'd taken for me, sitting down on a boulder to fully take in these gifts.

* * *

"You were quicker than he thought you'd be. Kadaj hasn't returned with mother yet." Loz paced anxiously around the circle of children, taunting the adults that stood just outside it. I hadn't gotten off my scooter yet, but rested one foot on the ground as I talked to Yazoo. I shut the engine off, still not climbing off the vehicle but content to wait for Kadaj's return here.

"I assume you picked this out for me," I motioned to the swords tucked into my belt. A faint smile crossed his lips.

"You like them."

"Yeah. They're nice. Fancier than anything I've ever been given."

"What about the other gifts? From Kadaj and Loz?" I shrugged.

"The drugs? I guess elixirs and mako are nice, too. At the least, I'm completely healed up now, and if I'm not, I don't feel it."

"I meant these." He reached out, grabbing the pouch that was tied to my belt loop as well.

"Oh, materia. I dunno, never used the stuff before. Looks expensive enough." He sighed, pulling the pouch from my waist and opening its drawstrings. I glanced away, noticing Denzel standing motionless in the circle of kids as Loz summoned a group of black dragon-like creatures to subdue the crowd of protesters. I felt a twinge of something at this sight, like guilt mixed with fear, but Yazoo's voice brought my attention back to him.

"Hold out your hand." I did as he said, and he grasped my wrist firmly, pressing one of the spheres into my palm. When it began to sink into the skin I tried to pull away, but his hold was strong, and in seconds the materia was gone, a spot on my arm giving off a faint glow from the energy of it. He offered no further explanation, but handed the pouch back to me. By now the crowd of angry people demanding their children back was getting large and rather rowdy, and I was getting anxious about my chances of getting to my target unhindered.

"Where's Kadaj gone? I don't have time to waste and I don't want..." I trailed off as I recognized Tifa calling to Denzel from the crowd. "I don't want things to get complicated waiting around here."

"He's gone to Shinra's hiding place. The new one he's building. That's where they're keeping her." I nodded, revving the engine back up, and pulling away, the tires screeching as I made a tight loop to head in the right direction. But just as I zipped past the line of kids, two more familiar figures raced out of the crowd. I flew past them, but it was clear they both recognized me, and I turned back, grinning as I pulled my gun from my waistband and firing it at Reno. But just as I did, an almost impossibly loud explosion sounded from the direction I was headed in, throwing my aim. The reverberation shook the street, toppling my bike. I rolled as I hit the pavement, coming up on one knee with only a few scuffs, focusing on the Turks in front of me. I retrained my gun, steadying it with my other hand, furrowing my brow when I noticed they weren't looking at me. My gaze followed theirs to a dark cloud swirling above the monument, and my aim dropped as an even larger creature flew down from inside it. I rose to my feet, jaw dropping as it landed in the square. I only snapped out of this when I heard a shout, and saw Reno and Rude running back in my direction, carrying kids over their shoulders. I turned and ran as well, scooping up my bag from the wreckage of my scooter as I went.

"Hey!" Reno tried to shout up to me as I left them behind, still headed for the high rise where Kadaj was. I finally risked a look back when another explosion sounded behind me, and I barely had enough time to clutch my bag tighter as the shock wave threw me forward.

* * *

**A/N: So the next chapter has some point of view skips in it, in order for me to tell the story easier. It mostly changes what character you see events through, but at the end it changes to third person. I've done my best to mark the changes, so i hope it isn't too confusing.**


	18. Chapter 18

Reno's point of view

* * *

I raised my head from the pavement, only to find two pairs of boots standing before me and my partner. They laughed, and the long haired one spoke.

"Having fun yet?" I smirked as he rose to my knees, waiting until the perfect moment before striking.

"Time of my life!" The first kick connected, but it quickly became clear that our speed was evenly matched at best. Rude was somewhere fighting the other one, and the kids had snapped out of their trance and made their escape. That left only Kemuri, who I wasn't entirely sure I'd even seen. It was possible, after all, that in all the chaos, she was still laid up at Lockheart's and it was just coincidence-

"Pay attention," Yazoo's voice was close. His kick sent me flying back down the street, but I managed to land without hurting myself too much. It only took a second to jump back to my feet, but before I could rush back to fight, a blonde figure bolted in front of me, facing the long haired remnant.

"Yazoo, leave him." The man's brow furrowed.

"But-"

"You know he's mine."

"Then take him."

"Not yet. I have to find Kadaj first." I finally grabbed her shoulder, spinning her to face me.

"I don't appreciate being talked about like I'm not even here, you know." She smiled, not pulling away.

"You shouldn't run so fast toward your own death, Reno. Your time will come." I tightened my grip, trying to force her to see she couldn't take me in the shape she was in, or at least get her to snap out of whatever craziness Kadaj had put in her. But she grabbed my arm, twisting it back and around with strength and speed I'd never known she had, bringing me to my knees. She looked back to Yazoo then, speaking calmly as if nothing had changed.

"Keep him off my back, then. If he fights, defend yourself- but I want him alive."

"Kemuri-" I began. She twisted harder, straining the muscles and bones in my shoulder to cut me off. Her voice dropped to almost a whisper as she leaned close to my ear. The same seductive tone she'd used in my bed not so long ago sent a sick chill down my spine, now bloodlust more than anything else.

"Once my business with Kadaj is done, I will come back for you. Behave yourself until then, alright?" She was gone as fast as she'd appeared, and I groaned again, rubbing my arm as I climbed back to my feet. Yazoo was smirking at me. Flipping the switch on my EMR, I returned the grin.

* * *

Kemuri's point of view

* * *

I knew I had the right building by the Shinra insignia on the sign and the motorcycles parked out front. Looking up, I couldn't quite tell what floor he'd be on, but I guessed I'd have a lot of stairs in front of me before I reached him. The only question left was whether he already had his mother or not, but my thoughts were interrupted by an explosion of blue light from what must have been the highest existing floor. I dropped my bag, keeping only the materia and my weapons. I'd only pressed one of them into my arm when gunshots erupted above me. Plummeting toward the street- and me, to be more exact- was not only a small black box, but Kadaj and Mr. Shinra himself.

"Guess there's no need to worry about the stairs," I muttered, and pulled out my gun. As I trained my sights on my former boss, Kadaj overtook him, closing in on the box. Shinra began to fire down at him, one of his bullets clipping the box and sending it tumbling end over end.

"Mother!" I heard Kadaj cry out, but before I could return fire, a second Shinra bullet ripped through me, sending me staggering back a step. I glanced down, finding only a hole through my shoulder, then raised my gun again, gritting my teeth against the sting of the bullet. I squinted at the glare of the sky just as the bright green liquid that had spewed from the cracked box splashed across me. I sputtered, stumbling out of the way as Kadaj caught the box and landed. He gave it a worried look, but smiled when he spotted me. The liquid burned where it soaked into my wound, watering my eyes and searing my skin where it hit, even through my clothes. I pressed a hand to my shoulder, clenching my jaw harder against the worst of it.

"Kemuri!" Reno's voice again. I struggled to raise my gun as he, Rude, Loz and Yazoo arrived on the scene. But the redhead's attention was drawn by his falling boss, and mine by Tseng and Elena as they ran up and fired nets from contraptions, catching him. Finally, the sound of a motorcycle alerted everyone that Cloud was racing toward us, and Kadaj's smile faded.

"It seems you will have your reunion before us," he said as they jumped on their bikes. "Good luck to you with mother." And they sped off, meaning to leave me to handle everyone else while drawing Cloud away. But suddenly my vision was blurred, too slow to keep up with my movements, and my entire body felt as if it were on fire. My gun fell from clumsy and unresponsive hands, and as the roar of the damn cycle filled my ears, my whole consciousness floated away from the surface into an oppressive blackness.

* * *

Cloud's point of view

* * *

Three cycles raced away as I neared the site of the explosions.

"Must be them," I muttered under my breath, accelerating to pass the crowd of Shinra employees standing in the street. I didn't see Kemuri until it was almost too late, swerving and uttering a curse for her not moving. In a shocking instant, it was me who wasn't moving, Fenrir tipping and skidding on its side alone. A hand flew to my sword, and I glanced down at the pale hand that had so easily snatched me from the speeding vehicle. It was clearly Kemuri's, pale and small enough to be the girl, and no one else had had the time to get this close.

"I thought we had an agreement," I began. But as my eyes followed the arm to the rest of her, I was struck speechless by what I found instead of the frail, beaten girl I'd expected. Her hair was long, too long to have been the same woman, and white. For a heartbeat an image of Sephiroth flashed in my mind, but when she looked up, the cat-like eyes glowed violet, and her appearance was otherwise almost unchanged. Her grip crushed my throat, and I grunted, pulling the sword from my back and bringing it down toward her. She released me and drew her own weapons, blocking the strike and holding me back with ease.

"Your agreement with your sister means nothing to me," she whispered. It was then I recognized her, or who she'd been made to resurrect.

"She's _not_ my sister, and you're _not_ my _mother_!" I broke free of the clash, and the real fight began.

* * *

Reno's point of view

* * *

The fight seemed like it would go on forever, the two were so evenly matched. The half made building that would've been Shinra's new headquarters in Edge was bound to be destroyed by the fight, but with someone like Strife involved, that was no surprise. What did surprise me was Kemuri's matching him blow for blow. Surely she hadn't always had this lurking just beneath the surface, had she?

"Reno, come on," Rude called from the seat next to me. I looked away from the fight, back to the controls in front of me.

"Huh?"

"We've gotta move if we're gonna cut them off." I turned the helicopter away from the fight, sparing one last glance down at the destruction around the two fighters.

"Yeah, I'm coming." I tried to focus on the target ahead of us, but couldn't help my thoughts slipping back to her. "Rude? You think she'll really beat Strife?" He grunted a short laugh.

"You mean do I think she'll really come for you?"

"No... Well... Didn't the boss say we needed him? And if she kills him, then what's our plan for the other three? They still have Jenova's head..." The cockpit was silent for a few seconds as we broke the city limits and sped over the half constructed highway.

"Honestly, Reno? We didn't even have to pull out the big guns to get to her- twice. She's no different than you or me. I hate to say it, but I don't think the girl stands a chance against him. Not alone." I sighed.

"She's different, all right." The helicopter made a wide turn with the road, and the cycles of the remnants came into view in the distance.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I knew her, back when we were kids. She's no normal girl. "

"Either way... Even if she's Jenova, or a copy of Sephiroth, or whatever. Strife isn't going to lose to her. Don't get too upset about it anyway, she wasn't going to forgive you. The girl's a lost cause, you should just be grateful that you won't have to be the one to kill her. Just focus on this job, eh?" I nodded, flipping a few switches and putting my thumbs on the triggers of the guns mounted to the sides of our ride. Hopefully I would get back to Edge in time to see how the fight turned out.

* * *

Cloud's point of view

* * *

She looked surprised, and for a second, the pure innocence of her face reminded me of my mother. Anger threatened to rise back up from my gut, but something about the look in her eyes wouldn't allow anything but pity. I stepped back, wrenching the fusion sword from her side. Her swords lay at her feet, long forgotten, but she was too shocked to even whimper as I left the gaping wound in her. She simply stared, and when she spoke it snapped that she no longer looked like Jenova.

"Cloud-"

"I'm sorry." I muttered, shocked at my own apology. She looked down finally, at the red stain spilling down her shirt, and pressed her hands to the cut. When she looked back up, there were tears in her eyes but a smile on her face.

"Don't apologize. I'm glad... That you did it. Instead of him." She sank to her knees. "It's my fault anyway, I got in your way. You shouldn't feel sorry for me, brother."

"I'm not-"

"Go on. You still have Kadaj ahead of you." I regarded her warily for a few seconds, but she waved one bloodied hand at me. "I'm saving my strength for him. Just go!" That was all it took. I broke into a run for the cycle, glancing back once before I sped away. Now that I couldn't see the look in her eyes, anger indeed flooded me. How could she attack me, and still make me feel guilty, apologize even, for defeating her. I revved Fenrir as fast as it would go, making my way for the highway and the deepest part of the ruins of Midgar, where I was sure Kadaj had fled.

* * *

3rd person

* * *

Reno was out of the cockpit almost as soon as it touched the ground, leaping down to the street and walking swiftly away from his partner. The Shinra building was indeed reduced to rubble, as well as most of the buildings on the block. He vaguely heard Rude shout something to him, but with two of the remnants taken care of and Strife after the leader, he didn't have much to worry about in the city. Except that seeing Strife ride out for his battle gave him something extra to worry about in the city.

"Kemuri!" He called, steps quickening as she didn't appear anywhere in the rubble or on the street itself. "_Kemuri_!" He reached the end of the street, facing an alley between two half ruined buildings that had managed to survive by leaning against each other. But just as he was about to turn back and begin searching the rubble more carefully, a shifting of the lighter rubble clattered from the back of the dim crevice. He had put one foot into the shadow of the alley when she lunged out, swinging two swords at him. She barely missed him as he stumbled backwards, the shock on his face equaled by the hatred on hers.

"Kemur-"

"Shut up you vermin." Her voice was a feral hiss, chilling him to the core. One of her swords caught the edge of his jacket, slicing it easily as she advanced, and he cursed under his breath.

"Stop running and face me like the man you claim to be." He gritted his teeth and dodged to the side, spinning around her and managing to grab one of her hands, wrenching the sword from it. She spun to face him and smirked, prepared for him to fight back, but he aimed to disappoint her. He only blocked her next strike, pushing back at the right angle to force her remaining weapon from her hand. Kemuri took a step back as he threw the other sword away, but she quickly drew a smaller knife and lunged at him again.

"Remember this one? The two of you have met before..." Reno looked closer at her hand as she spoke, recognizing the knife that she'd put nearly all the way through his shoulder. As he did, he finally noticed the tear in the side of her shirt and just how drenched with blood she was. Strife had had a few cuts, but there was no way even half of this was his.

"How did you survive a fight against him?" Kemuri's smile grew cold, more of a grimace than anything else.

"I didn't." His gaze gaze flicked up from her weapon hand to her face, shocked by how pale she was, how fear was barely masked behind the anger in her eyes. His feet froze in place as his memory returned to the first night he'd seen her, a little girl looking much the same as she did now. It took a moment for him to register the sensation when her knife buried itself in the freshly healed skin it had only recently left scarred.

"Kemuri..." He fingers slipped from the handle, her hand dropping to her side as her entire body seemed to lose its determination.

"You- you let me hit you." He knees went weak and she dropped to the ground, sitting supported by one arm while the other clutched at her wound. Reno knelt at her side, pulling the blade from his shoulder with a grunt and letting it clatter to the pavement.

"Whadd'ya know, it went all the way through this time, yo."

"Shut up. I'll do more than that." As she finished her sentence, a heavy cough wracked her body, lasting nearly half a minute. When she finally was able to catch her breath her hand came away from her mouth spattered with black liquid. He reached out and touched her shoulder, but she flinched away from him, looking him in the eye.

"Don't you touch me!" Her face was splotched with the stigma, worse than it had ever been, and her eyes brimmed with tears. "Don't..." But the anger was gone from her voice, and his heart skipped a beat as her eyelids fluttered for a second, showing eyes rolled dangerously back, and she dropped flat. By the time he'd pulled her head up into his lap, she was starting to come around, but she was paler than ever, and her breathing was shallow.

"Come on, open your eyes." He couldn't keep back a smile when she did, but she was a hair's breadth short of delirious. He pulled his jacket off and pressed it to her wound, trying not to look to worried as her tears at last broke and ran freely down her face.

"Is it raining?"

"No sweetheart, you're crying." She reached up weakly, brushing away one of the tears and staring at it for a few seconds with unfocused eyes.

"Because you're going to kill me... Like the others..." Again, she'd managed to take him back to the past.

"No, Kemuri. Not even if it was my job." She swallowed down a sob, wincing.

"I wanted to take you with me... But I guess I'm going to die alone."

"No-"

"Face it, Reno. The only question is whether the stigma will get me before the cut does..." He pulled her further up toward him, supporting her with his free arm.

"Now, what did I tell you about talking like that, yo?" He paused, looking back over his shoulder. "Rude. _Rude!_" She coughed again, and he had to turn his attention back to her, unsure if his partner had heard his call for help. "How did this happen? I thought they- I thought you were cured."

"Jenova... She wasn't my mother." She closed her eyes, turning her head away from him, but he turned it back, keeping her conscious.

"Hey. Stay with me now, Kemuri." She pulled he chin free of his grasp, anger shining through her tears once again.

"Why are you even here, huh? Your boss told me everything..."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know. How you were just keeping tabs on me. How you... How every word you ever said was a lie..."

"Kemuri, he was trying to hurt you, you should know that. If I was playing on his side, you think he would've beat the shit out of me beforehand?"

"Yes-"

"He had a gun to my head. Literally. What choice did I have, yo?" He paused, taking a breath and lowering his voice. "I didn't think... I didn't know he would..."

"Don't keep pretending, Reno. Have a little integrity, will you, and at least be honest with me now."

"I am being honest," he exclaimed. "_God-dammit_, Rude, you had better be hurt back there!" She smirked, attempting a laugh that dissolved into a fit of coughs. "I meant everything I said to you! About the home, about wanting to help you, about-"

"being in love with me?" she interrupted.

"I- I uh..."

"You see? You knew the situation, knew what would hurt the most, and you used it against me."

"That's not entirely-"

"Isn't it? Tell me, then. Tell me the truth."

"Kemuri..." She closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"I knew it..." She mumbled. "It's fine, Reno. You win, alright? You got me good on this, and you win. You've finished your job."

"This isn't my job. Not this." It seemed he was losing his composure, but she didn't relent.

"Yes, it was. Don't you remember? You told me then that I had no purpose, that I just existed. It was your job then to kill me... and here we are. You should probably thank Cloud for helping..."

"Shut up, Kemuri! Just shut up with this pathetic bullshit for one second, yo!" He finally snapped. "If anyone should be honest here, it's you! Acting the part of the avenging innocent all these years, like you hate me, then all of this? If you hated me, why'd you keep coming back, huh? And why in the hell are you acting so hurt? If you didn't give a shit about me, then why should you care if I betrayed you or not? Why should it matter to you that I love you?" He stopped short on the last word, eyes falling from hers. But she lifted her hand, her touch leaving a few smeared, bloody fingerprints on his cheek.

"So it's true..." She dropped her hand to his shoulder, making him wince at the forgotten wound there. "I'm sorry I did this to you."

"You don't have to apologize."

"I mean it. You know, you're right. I can't even figure out for myself why I couldn't leave you alone. Something about how you pissed me off... But it doesn't matter, I guess. I won't have to figure out why, anymore."

"You listen here, girly, I'm not letting you die in the street. And I sure as hell am not letting Strife be the one to do it. He's- he's supposed to be the good guy..." She smiled, dropping her hand to her side again.

"Is this it, Reno? Is this what love is supposed to feel like? I never thought it would hurt so much..." His voice caught in his throat, strangling off an answer that wouldn't be good enough for her anyway. As he struggled for words, he finally heard Rude approaching, dropping to a knee across from him and letting an armful of medical supplies fall to the ground. Reno laid her down, taking all of the gauze the helicopter's first aid kit had and pressing it into her side. As both men began to do what they could, Rude muttered,

"She's too sick, Reno. Too close to dying. We don't know enough to save her like this."

"Don't." Rude saw his partner's strained face, the fear in his eyes as he looked over the pale girl between them.

"Reno. There's nothing-" The redhead looked up, shocking his comrade into silence with the set of his jaw and the most dangerous look the man had ever seen in his eyes.

"Don't you tell me that, yo. _Don__'__t_! If you can't help me save her, then you go and get someone who can!" The two of them stared at each other for a moment, then the larger man sighed and stood, pulling out his phone and taking off at a run toward the more populous streets. Alone again, Reno bent down closer to Kemuri, trying to smile without looking like he felt.

"You still there, darlin'? Rude's just gonna get you a better doctor than me, and we'll get you back on your feet faster than-" He was cut off, her hands flying up around his neck and pulling him down into a tight embrace. She pressed her face against his cheek and slurred, her grip on consciousness fading fast.

"I saw how you looked that night. And now. Count my revenge as exacted, okay?" Her grip wasn't very strong, and he pulled back enough to look her in the eye.

"Whatever you want, sweetheart." He kissed her then, hard enough to surprise her, but only briefly before pulling away and moving back to the bandages. When he glanced back to her face she was staring up at the sky, eyes glassy and tears streaming down her face. Her breaths were shallow, and it crossed his mind she'd probably bleed completely out soon, and Rude was right. There was nothing he could do. He sat back, pulling her head into his lap again and taking her hand in his. It wasn't until she spoke that he realized that he'd been muttering to herself.

"Don't worry. It barely even hurts anymore." She smiled, but he couldn't bear to return the sentiment, not when she was trying to spare his feelings and it was his fault she was in this position in the first place.

"This shouldn't be happening. Not to you."

"People die all the time, Reno. It's just..." She closed her eyes, surprising Reno when her cheeks reddened a little.

"What?"

"I just wish..." She looked up at him, clearly holding on just so she could say this one thing. He squeezed her hand tighter, urging her on without talking. "That i could have another chance... t-to really start over..." He opened his mouth to reply, but a sudden convulsion shook through her body, and when she stilled, her breath had almost fully ceased, her form limp. A shout in the distance proved to be Lockheart, no doubt recruited by Rude, but he had little hope. He lifted her body, watching her finally peaceful face as he carried her towards help that he could only pray was not too late.


	19. Chapter 19

Reno paced the hallway of his apartment, torn between waiting by the door or in the bedroom, never wanting to stray far from either. Limping slightly as he continued to move, he lit a cigarette, sighing in exasperation when he saw that it was the last one. He shouted in surprise when the sharp knock finally came, so relieved that he smashed his knee on the coffee table in his rush to answer. He opened it silently, allowing Tifa in without a word, but clenching his jaw as the blonde who was practically dragged in behind her passed. They stopped on the far side of the room, just in front of the window, and Tifa mumbled something to Cloud. He didn't reply, and it was clear Tifa was pleading with him, but she trailed off when Reno turned back to face them.

"If you'll just listen to him..." They all looked at each other for a minute, Cloud clearly taking stock of Reno. He sucked down the last bit of the cigarette and put it out on the scarred wood of the table. Tifa was the first to speak, her voice hesitant and tiny in the silent apartment.

"What happened to your arm? You're... you look like a mess." He glanced down at his right arm, up in a sling, the little visible skin bruised and stitched back together in places.

"Thanks," he drawled. "Glad to see you're so worried about me, yo."

"Reno, that's not-" the corner of Cloud's mouth twitched in annoyance, already ready to leave, so Reno cut in.

"Sorry, Lockheart. Just a little on edge lately, as I'm sure you noticed. I spent some time digging through the underground of the old city. Not exactly a welcoming place." He crossed in front of them, entering the kitchen and disappearing into the fridge.

"Midgar? What did you go there for? Important Shinra business?" Now Tifa had a bit of an attitude as well, making Reno cringe. This was important, he couldn't ruin his chances here, even if it meant kissing a little ass. He straightened up, a metal container in his good hand.

"I went for this. As a matter of fact, I went against the better advice of my employers, and it's why I've asked you here."

"What is it?"

"That's complicated." He returned to the living room, motioning to the couch. "Have a seat, please, both of you. I was hoping we could talk a little. I figured you'd want some explanations, especially if I expect you to help me out." Tifa sat, and Reno took a chair next to the couch, but Cloud remained standing. Reno set the container down on the table, leaning back into the chair.

"To put it bluntly, that's pretty much what's left of Jenova." The other two nearly flew at him, but he corrected himself quickly, leaning forward and putting a hand out. "Well, not Jenova _herself_, but something very much like her. I've done a lot of research into things, and well... It's the only solution at this point. That and you." He looked up at Cloud, holding the other man's gaze until the blonde caved and looked away.

"What are you talking about?" He muttered.

"It's Kemuri." Cloud's gaze shot back up, angry, but Reno kept talking. "She's still got the stigma, you see. I thought she'd get better when everyone else did, but this here is the problem."

"I'm not sure I understand," Tifa interjected. "The cure didn't help her?"

"Who cares?" Cloud spat. Tifa shot him a look over her shoulder that shut him up, then turned back to Reno.

"No, it didn't. The key is that everyone who had come into contact with Jenova's cells, either directly or indirectly through Sephiroth's existence in the life stream, was presented with a cure. But she wasn't exposed to Jenova, she was exposed to _this_. It was close enough in structure for her to have a reaction that looked similar to the geo-stigma that everyone else had, but not close enough for the cure to rid her of it." Cloud leaned forward, barely containing his rage, and only managing to keep the venom in his voice alone for Tifa's sake.

"Then what do you expect from us? The way you make it sound, it's hopeless. Putting more of that shit in her isn't going to help her." He turned away sullen, mumbling under his breath about how she deserved what she got anyway.

"That might not be true," Tifa said, catching on. "If you apply the same cure, but combined with what Kemuri was originally exposed to, it might work."

"Might." Cloud scoffed.

"Exactly. It _might_," Reno said, standing. "That's a chance I'm willing to take. One I already did take." He moved over in front of Cloud, feeling his anger starting to well up, a tightening in his chest.

"I almost died getting that sample for her, and all I'm asking is you try. It won't hurt you any, and if she lives, then you've done your good deed for the year. You're even more the all forgiving, selfless hero!"

"And if she dies?" Cloud's voice was calm, a hateful glint in his eye as he looked at the redhead.

"Then... she dies. But at least we tried." His gaze dropped for a second, trying to regain his composure. As he did, Tifa stood and put a hand on Cloud's shoulder, drawing his attention.

"He's right, Cloud. The least we can do is-"

"The least we can do? The least we can do is let her die, Tifa! It's the ones like her that destroyed this city, _twice_- That almost destroyed the entire world! His voice dropped, cracking as he strained not to betray himself. "That killed our families. You want to help _that_?" Tifa gasped aloud as Reno grabbed Cloud's shirt, pulling him face to face and shouting, no longer attempting to be nice or calm.

"Goddamnit, Strife, she **_is_** your family!" The blonde's eyes widened for a minute, then he smiled.

"You think you can play that on me?" he spoke softly. "You think that claiming we're connected because of some bullshit will make me sympathize? I don't care if she was brainwashed, or crazy, or what. We all saw who she fought for, and she is _nothing_ to me." He shoved Reno back, sending him stumbling a step back and catching himself with a thud against the door.

"Don't be so naive. You think I buy into that shit, either?" He spat out through clenched teeth. He pushed himself up, cradling his throbbing arm. "There's paperwork, on the table. Take a look at that, if you don't believe me." It was Tifa who turned and flipped through the papers, eyes ever wider as she took in the information presented. The two men continued to stare each other down, until Tifa stood and spoke in a shaken whisper, standing in between them.

"Cloud... I-It's true. Kemuri is-"

"It can't be. Paperwork can be falsified. It's Shinra we're talking abou-" He stopped mid sentence as Tifa held up a small photograph, worn with age and damage from a fire. He stared for a few moments, then reached up and took it from the woman's hand, still unsure whether to believe it or not.

"This is- it's-"

"Your mother," Reno completed the thought. "And you. The day she left Kemuri at the home." Cloud sat heavily on the arm of the couch.

"That could be any baby. There's no way to tell-"

"Do you have any other siblings? Any cousins? Who else would she be carrying? Take a look at the paperwork, it's all there. She's your sister."

"No. I would remember if- if..." He turned and picked up the small sheaf of papers, eyes flitting across them. Reno took a step forward, but kept the furniture between himself and the blonde. No telling how he'd handle this.

"Look at the picture, Strife. You were what, three? If that. You remember vividly every day of your life from that far back?" He paused, then added for effect. "You even remember all of your life from more recent years?" Cloud's eyes flicked up, an unspoken threat at the jab, and Reno raised his hand in defense. "I'm just saying, you probably wouldn't remember. She was less than six months old when they took her in."

"My father died. It... can't be." He seemed to still be having trouble grasping this, perhaps by choice. Not that he could be blamed, admitting the person you'd almost just killed was your only living family couldn't be easy.

"Well, looking at the line of events, it was probably right after he knocked up your ma-" He caught himself, bringing his manners back little by little, "maybe even before she knew she was pregnant. There's no telling absolutely there, but there's little doubt about her lineage. She's your sister. If you want absolute proof, we can run a blood test for you..."

"But she'll die before it can be done." Reno grinned at Tifa. Always the smart one, she was.

"Exactly. Cure her, Strife. At least try. And then you can still choose whether or not you want a sister. But don't throw out the chance before you even-" But Reno was cut off by a groan from the further recesses of the apartment. He turned without a word and disappeared down the hall, closing himself in the bedroom at the far end. Tifa stood horrified as the clear sounds of a struggle drifted toward them. Reno's usually snide voice was pleading, though she couldn't hear what he was saying, and in between were cries and moans. By the time Reno returned, he had bloody and black smudges on his shirt, and in at least one or two places, his own arm and neck were freshly cut. Cloud sat on the couch with his head in his hands, eyes closed tightly, and Tifa couldn't tear her eyes away, even as a few tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

"How long does she have?" Her voice was a whisper. Reno managed a grin, obviously fake.

"A couple of days, maybe. She's always been a fighter. Surprisingly strong, even still... But she doesn't have long."

"Can- can I see her?" Reno tore his gaze from her, shaking his head.

"Not a good idea. You barely got her wounds contained, and she's still in danger from those. With the stigma as far as it is, she's asleep most of the time. When she's not, she's delirious, in constant pain. Even mako can only do so much for her at this point... And that's not addressing what must be going through her head otherwise. It'll just upset the both of you more, Lockheart."

"But-" Tifa stopped when Cloud stood, looking evenly into Reno's eyes.

"She'll see Kemuri now. We both will."

The bedroom was dim, curtains pulled tight against the outside, with just enough thickness to create an almost hazy gloom. Medical supplies were strewn about, and the bed was a mess of blankets. It took a moment for the eyes to adjust, and then an additional moment of squinting to even find the small form in between the layers of blankets. Reno remained in the doorway, leaned against the frame with his eyes closed as the other two shuffled silently in. It wasn't until the girl rolled over with a groan, throwing some of the covers off and facing them that they reacted. Tifa's stifled cry was enough to make Reno cringe, then turn to walk back down the hall a few steps, just out of sight of the woman in his bed.

"Cloud..." was all Tifa could manage, now clinging to his arm. He didn't say anything at first, just took in the sight before him. He'd never seen the stigma this advanced. Not while someone was still alive, at least. She wasn't wearing much in the way of clothes, a pair of plain underwear, but there was almost no skin to be seen. Kemuri was a patchwork of bandages of different sizes and shapes, parts of her wrapped completely up. From the look of the room, the redhead had been changing them as often as he could, but they were still splotched with red and black all over, and the room had a certain scent of blood and sick to it. For all his usual foolery, Reno seemed to be right about the girl's condition.

The feeling in the pit of his stomach rose again, a pleasure from seeing her this way, but where her face lacked dressings, there was something else. The way her eyebrows came together in her sleep, scrunching as if she were worried or deep in thought. He pulled gently from Tifa's grasp and took a step forward, stopping at the edge of the bed.

"She looks just like her... I never noticed before."

"Cloud?" He didn't look up.

"No. I did notice. I guess that's why I apologized..." Tifa put a hand on his shoulder, close behind him.

"Cloud... Reno is right. I know you don't like agreeing with him, but none of this was her fault. She got pulled into something and she had no idea... Even if you don't want to see her again, don't-" she choked back fresh tears, "don't let her be another innocent that pays for the way things are." He flinched at her words, but after a moment turned back to face her. Tifa quickly wiped her eyes and stood straighter, but was surprised herself when Cloud put his hands on her shoulders just as gently.

"You really believe her? That she wasn't one of them?" Tifa nodded, here eyes wide at the soft tone of his voice, that he really was asking her now. "Then tell Reno. I'll go, and come back." Before she could say anything to him, he released her and disappeared, walking quickly from the room. She heard Reno say something just before the front door opened and shut, then the redhead's uneven footsteps rushing back to her.

"What was that? Why'd you let him leave like that-"

"He's going to the church. He said he'll help."


	20. Chapter 20

6 months later

* * *

Even though it was getting late, Reno still hung around the office, draped across the couch with his head back. Rude was shuffling papers, resigned to take care of everything that his partner had made some excuse for not doing once again. They'd been this way for a while now, and Rude wasn't entirely sure Reno was even awake anymore. But when the redhead sighed heavily, Rude finally looked up from his work.

"I thought you had to get home early."

"Yeah, well... I decided to wait for you, Rude." Now it was Rude's turn to sigh.

"The only reason I agreed to do your share of the work was-" Reno climbed to his feet, stretching his arms above his head and yawning.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Because I said I had to go. I was gonna buy you a round tonight, but if that's how you want it, I can go, yo." He made it to the door before Rude stood as well, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair.

"We'll finish it in the morning. _Both_ of us." The two headed out together, not having to walk far from the new building to the outdoor restaurant they frequented. They sat at a table near the kitchen and bar, Reno ordering a drink for his partner but only a water for himself. When faced with a look from the bigger man, he shrugged, taking a drink.

"You're whipped, you know that right?" Reno chuckled, setting his glass down, and leaned back in his chair.

"She didn't ask me to quit drinking, yo. Doesn't ask me for anything, as a matter of fact. Except maybe that I don't ask her to stay hidden in the apartment anymore. As far as she knows, I've never been a drinker."

"She really doesn't remember a thing?" Rude finished his drink and his partner ordered him another, tipping the waitress but not returning the flirty smile she shot him.

"Seems that way. They called it retrograde amnesia when the doctors looked at her. Said she probably got hit in the head in the fight with Strife, not to mention the knocking around she'd had before that... She doesn't remember anything from the past year or so at all, and the rest of her life is spotty at best."

"So that's how you did it?" Reno's gaze dropped, his voice a note lower, guilty.

"Look, I never said it was the best plan of action, alright? I don't need you lecturing me on ethics."

"Reno-"

"I'm not taking advantage of her, alright?" Rude looked at him, caught between skepticism and apology, and Reno rolled his eyes, standing up. "Enjoy your drink, alright? I'll see you tomorrow." He stalked away, walking home instead of heading back to the office for his bike, using the time to think. But thinking on the past only made him feel more wearied, and when he finally trudged up the stairs to his apartment door, he felt ready to have a drink or two after all. When he opened the door, she was sitting on the couch in her underwear and a thin undershirt of his. But what stopped him in his tracks was the fact that she was surrounded by his guns, some of them dismantled and laid out on the table, some strewn on the couch or the rug around her. She had her feet up on the table, bracing herself lazily as she squinted one eye down the sights of his sniper rifle, the scope on her lap. She didn't look up at him, her concentration was so complete, and he felt chilled to the bone at how natural the weapon looked in her hands, even after all this time.

"Kemuri..."

"You should take better care of these, you know," she mumbled, making a small adjustment then laying the rifle on the coffee table as well. Finally she looked up at him in the doorway, eyes shining with complete innocence unlike the deadly concentration she'd had only moments before.

"I'm sorry. Was I not suppose to touch them?" The look changed, now more like a puppy who'd gotten caught peeing on the rug.

"N-no... It's fine," he finally recovered, reaching down to where his keys had slipped from his hand, then turning and shutting the door behind him. "I just wasn't expecting you to be up. You surprised me." She laughed lightly as he took a spot next to her, moving a pistol out of the way. He slouched down into the cushions and kicked his shoes off as she spoke.

"I can't stay in bed all the time, you know. I'm pretty much in perfect health, and you've still got me cooped up here." She laid her head on his shoulder. "I was bored, and laying around in bed all day by myself is so lonely. He smirked at her obvious implication.

"What made you decide on this, though?"

"Well, I saw them in the spare room, and... I don't know, I just couldn't help myself." Another laugh. "I didn't even know I knew so much about guns... but I guess that's what happens, huh?" Kemuri rapped her knuckles on the side of her head. Now Reno laughed uneasily, wrapping an arm around her and trying to change the subject.

"Now that I'm home, why don't we go see if we can't do something about that _lonely_ bed of ours?" He kissed her cheek, moving his lips to her ear. "Let me make up for leaving you alone all day." His hand slid smoothly up her leg, but she stopped him.

"I don't know if I've ever really thanked you, you know. For all of this."

"It's nothing." His tongue teased her earlobe, but she still didn't respond.

"It's not nothing. You could've just left me. If things were really so bad, you could've just let me go. But chasing after me, and saving my life..." She turned her head and kissed him, short and chaste. "I'm lucky to have you." She smiled, and when he finally managed to smile back, she stood, pulling him up with her.

"Now if only I could get my damned memory back." Reno made a small choking sound but quickly recovered, pulling her flush against him and holding her there, nuzzling his head into her neck.

"Don't worry about it, Kemuri. Just focus on your health."

"I told you, I'm _fine_!" she complained, pushing gently against his chest without effect. "And it's frustrating living like this, Reno! To have to rely on someone else for everything, for every small detail of my life." He pulled his head back to look at her, and she could guess at the look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. You know I don't mean it like that. It's just strange, feeling like my life only began six months ago. Hearing about it from someone else isn't the same as living it. But you... You're great. You're so good to me, I didn't mean-" He interrupted her with a kiss, glad to stop her garbled train of thought. When he broke the kiss, she grinned, satisfied that his feelings weren't too hurt.

"I am better, though," she insisted. To illustrate the point, she pulled away from him and reached up, stretching her fingers toward the ceiling and rising up on her toes. But she winced as she did so, quickly coming down from the pose and putting a hand to her side. It took a full five minutes and a thorough inspection of the woman's side before Reno was contented, and even then he looked displeased.

"Maybe we should just go to bed." Kemuri rolled her eyes at his statement, getting up from the couch once again.

"Reno, you're overreacting. So it's a little sore, what do you expect? I'm fine! I'm not even asking about going out, I just want you to stop babying me..." She turned and leaned over him, straddling his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. "And maybe take me down to the bar with you sometimes?" He laughed, leaning his head back against the couch.

"Should've known you'd try and trick me with something like this." She didn't say anything, simply staring into his eyes until he gave in. "_Alright_... Tomorrow after work, we'll go out." Her eyes lit up, and this time when she kissed him, it was a lingering one. One full of a building passion that made him forget about work or arguing with Rude or even the sight of her with a gun in her hand. When he finally did pull back from her for a moment he gave no second thought to that fact that they'd neglected to actually make it to the bedroom. These days, her appetite was voracious, almost outpacing him at his best, but who was he to complain?

* * *

She fell asleep quickly, only briefly mumbling about the dinner she'd left him on the counter before snugging herself up against him and passing out. She didn't stir when he slid off the couch, and the apartment was silent as he lounged against the counter, slowly eating the now cold meal. He was almost finished, in the middle of deciding whether to put the guns away first or go to bed when his cell rang from the floor next to the couch.

"What's up?" He answered casually, getting a small sigh from the other end.

"Reno, come down to the bar for a few minutes, will you?" A smug grin spread across his face unbidden.

"I was wondering when I'd hear from you. It's been a while, yo." Another sigh.

"I know. It's just that Cloud has been... Well, you know. But he's out of town for a couple of days, and-"

"I'm not bringing her. Not tonight, and not ever if you're gonna start some shit, Lockheart."

"You don't have to, I just want to talk. Come down, will you?" Tifa was getting frustrated, he could practically feel her struggling not to hang up on him.

"Alright, Alright, chill out. I'll be there in ten." He hung up, shaking his head and laughing to himself, rousing Kemuri enough to whisper to her that he had to step out for a few minutes. He doubted she would remember or wake up while he was gone anyways, so he pulled his pants and shirt back on, not bothering with the jacket, then grabbing a blanket and draping it over Kemuri's sleeping form before leaving.

The Seventh Heaven was fairly crowded for a Tuesday night, but most of the patrons seemed to be talking as much as drinking, freeing up the owner as Reno slid onto a stool in front of her.

"So what's all this about?" He asked. Tifa poured him a drink, leaving the bottle on the counter as she usually did.

"How is she? I mean, I guess I know she's alright, mostly, at least, but-"

"Lockheart," he cut off her rambling. "She's fine. Great, actually, considering how your _boyfriend_ nearly cut her in half and left her to die of geo-stigma."

"Reno, you know the situation was complicated..."

"Sure." He picked up the glass and downed the drink, waving Tifa away when she moved to refill it. "Cutting down," he replied when she gave him a surprised look.

"You? Cutting down on booze?" She responded, disbelieving. "What's next, you gonna tell me smoking too?"

"Smoking too. Haven't had a single one since she woke up."

"Wow, you must really be trying to convince her you've changed." He let go of the glass, looking her in the eye, finally ready to talk seriously.

"She doesn't remember the old me, Tifa."

"What?"

"Can't remember a thing about herself or her life from before she woke up. On account of the head trauma..." Tifa's eyes dropped for a second, anger flaring up, but she reined it in.

"What did you tell her?"

"Told her about the Remnants and Strife fighting in the city. How it wrecked her old place. I told her that we were together, at my place, that day. We had an argument, and she stormed out on me. I followed her to apologize and when I caught up to her, she was unconscious in the street." His voice became grim, driving home his sincerity in the story. "It happened when her building got destroyed. I brought her home and had her taken care of."

"But-"

"They still haven't got the hospital fixed up. It's believable."

"... Why? Why not just tell her the truth?"

"The truth? You think she deserves to find out how shitty everything was? How shitty it still is? If she finds out, she'll walk out on me, for real. And letting her walk the streets announcing herself, without protection... People saw her with them, Lockheart, they know who she is. At least they think they do. She'll get mobbed." He sighed, sliding the glass toward her to refill it. "I'm doing this for her own good. Plus... she deserves a little happiness, don't you think?" He tossed back the second drink and stood, tossing some money on the bar.

"Reno, I didn't mean to make you mad. I just... The last time I saw her she was in bad shape. And like it or not, she's my friend, too. I deserve to know how she is." He leaned over the bar toward her voice low so that only she could hear how deadly serious he was.

"I'll bring her over tomorrow night. I would suggest you clear the place out." She started to smile, but he continued. "No talk about the accident, Shinra, or Strife. And nothing about me and her before. I mean it." She nodded, and he left as quickly as he'd come, the walk back making him regret his decision to leave his bike after all.

* * *

"Kemuri, come on, will you? It's just a bar, yo! It's gonna be empty anyways!" She peeked around the corner at him, messing with her hair as she did.

"Speaking of which, I'm mad at you. You said you'd take me out." He moved into the doorway of the bathroom with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"I am. You never said I had to take you someplace crowded. Now come on." She finally finished her hair, letting it fall in a braid over one shoulder, and turned to him. He stepped aside and waited for her by the door, rolling his eyes at the pouty look she had still.

"Look, it's a small step okay? Besides, the girl who owns the bar, you and her used to be friends. When I told her I was bringing you down, she practically made me agree to shutting the place down for the night. She wants to catch up with you, talk with you without having to work the whole bar at the same time." She stared at him a moment longer, then opened the door, waving him out before her.

"Fine, but next time we're going somewhere real." He couldn't help but laugh at this, and she was in especially high spirits that she'd get to ride on his bike, lifting his mood as well with her excitement. But the mood quickly fell again when he followed her through the door to the Seventh Heaven to find not only Tifa standing at the bar, but Cloud sitting in front of her, sword taking up most of the length of the bar itself.

"Reno, I'm sorry, he just got home. I didn't have time to call-"

"You don't have to explain to them, Tifa," Cloud interrupted, voice verging on a growl. Reno pushed Kemuri behind him, and though she gripped his sleeve, she watched around him at the scene before her.

"What do you think you're doing, bringing her here?"

"Strife, she's-"

"I don't care what she is, she's not welcome. One more step and I'll do what I have to." Tifa grabbed the blonde's arm now, pulling him back firmly.

"Cloud, you don't have to do anything, she's not going to hurt anyone, alright? I asked them to come, I wanted to see her." He looked confused, but before he could say anything, Kemuri finally spoke up, her voice unsure and small in the tense silence.

"Can someone please explain what in the hell you're all so angry at me for?" All eyes shifted to her, and she flashed a nervous grin. "Girl with amnesia, and all..."

* * *

A/N: So i've been writing up a storm, sorry that i've lapsed on this again. I'm still working on it, and i have an idea of where and how to finish up. I actually just finished my death note fic, which turned out to be a lot longer than i thought it would be, which is why it's taken me a while to get back to this. But i have two more chapters i'm editing and i'm still writing furiously, so there should be more soon!


	21. Chapter 21

Reno turned and grabbed her arm, starting to leave, but she pulled away from him. Suddenly bold, she turned back to the two at the bar. Cloud stood, despite Tifa's grip on his arm, and for a moment the two stared at each other. It only took an instant for Cloud to move, lifting the sword and closing the distance between him and the woman. But his arm stopped, a surprising weight on it, and Kemuri looked just as surprised as he did that her hand had slipped into one of the gaps in the metal, holding the weapon steadily by her side. Another moment, and she released it, Cloud stepping back and dropping the sword to his side.

"What was that?" She asked, wide eyed. "How could you- how could I-" She wavered on her feet, and Reno rushed forward, grabbing her to keep her from falling. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"You don't know anything about me-" Reno eased her onto a stool at the far end of the bar, careful to keep himself between the two blondes, and Tifa again moved to Cloud's side, taking his arm and pulling him back as well. Reno shot a dirty look over his shoulder at Cloud, then turned back to Kemuri, speaking in as gentle a voice as he could manage.

"Kemuri I think we should go, okay? You don't look well. Let's just get you home and-" She reached out and grabbed his arms, holding him tightly in place.

"No! Tell me what this is about, Reno!" He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, then sighed it out heavily. He pulled free from her grip, then took her arms in the same manner, steadying her in case she fell again.

"Fine. Now, Kemuri, I wanted to wait to tell you this, in case you got your memory back on your own. I'm sorry it came out this way, but you're... What they would call a SOLDIER."

"As if you could call her that." Cloud took a step forward, and Reno rounded on him.

"You heard me, Strife. It's not exact, but she's the same as you."

"What do you mean?" She'd her face looked drained of blood, her eyes big and shiny with scared tears. "What-"

"It means you're a government experiment," Cloud spat. "I don't know how you've been hiding it, but you're supposed to be powerful. You could destroy the city, if you tried."

"I couldn't... wouldn't..." Cloud snorted an angry laugh at this, but Tifa stopped him form replying, pulling him forcibly into the next room. Alone, Reno turned back to the blonde woman, putting his hands on her shoulders and trying to calm her.

"Kemuri, what he said is true. Strife is- well, he's the one that fought in the city, to save everyone. He's a SOLDIER too. We thought for a long time he was the only one left, but while you were sick, I learned abou-" she pulled away from him roughly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The tears finally escaped. "Why? What else do you know?" Reno sat next to her,

"We've known each other for a long time, I told you that. It's because we were brought up in an orphanage together. I don't know if you remember, but that's where they made you a SOLDIER. They experimented on all of us..."

"So- are you one, too?"

"No, I was too old already when they started that work. I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, I didn't want to upset you like this. He wasn't supposed to be here."

"Why's he so angry?"

"B-because you and him fought. In the city. You were brainwashed, sick, and you didn't know what you were doing-" He stopped short when she started laughing.

"So I'm the bad guy. That's why you won't let me out. I'm the villain..." It took her a minute to get control of her laughter, and when she did, she wiped her face dry and looked back at him. "I guess that answers how I knew about your guns." He didn't know how to reply, and her smile completely faded.

"So tell me then, Reno... Why did you save my life? Do you have a thing for bad girls, or what?"

"This isn't a joke, Kemuri. You know exactly how I feel."

"I'm sorry," She mumbled seeming to have finally calmed down. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"You're not keeping anything else from me, are you?" She caught his gaze with hers, and for once Reno was glad he had a job that came with training in lying.

"No. That's the whole story. I promise." A lump settled in his throat when she smiled, believing him, and he turned away, calling to Tifa. "We're leaving, Lockheart. You wanna talk some other time, without _him_, you know my number." He crossed to the door, but turned back when Kemuri didn't follow him. She looked between him and the back room, then shook her head.

"I want to talk to them." He opened his mouth to protest, but she didn't give him the chance. "I have to." She stood and walked to the doorway of the other room, Reno following halfway but stopping when Kemuri spoke up.

"I know it probably doesn't mean much to you, but I want to say that I'm sorry. I- don't remember what it is that I've done to you, but I'm sorry."

"You think that means anything to me?" Cloud turned to face her, Tifa still keeping her hold on him in case he lost his temper once more. "You don't remember what you did, how can you be sorry for it?"

"Reno said I fought against you. And everyone knows you're the hero, so that means I'm in the wrong. I can't answer for why I did it, but from all I know now, I'm sorry. It's not much, but it's all I can offer to you for now..." He didn't reply, but the look on his face was enough to tell her how he felt.

"All right. That's all I wanted to say..." She turned and walked out, crossing half the bar before Tifa convinced Cloud to stay back and then stopped the girl.

"Kemuri, wait!" She turned back, New tears barely kept back in her eyes. Tifa was shocked, forgetting what she'd planned to say. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I just... I've been hoping for months that I'd be able to remember who I was. And I haven't. And then Reno told me about you, and I thought my problems were solved. If we were friends, then you could tell me whatever I wanted to know. Or something, at least. Come to find out, I'm a criminal, and everyone in the city, hell, maybe the world, hates me." Reno began to protest, but she cut him off with a small roll of her eyes. "Everyone except Reno. It's kind of disheartening, you know?" She sighed.

"Anyways, I'll get out of your hair. Thanks for this, regardless." Tifa's arm shot out, taking Kemuri by the hand.

"Oh, Kemuri, that's not at all true! For one, I don't hate you! I understand the things Shinra did, that you were trapped by your past. That those men fooled you into fighting Cloud by promising you things they couldn't give you. I know you aren't a bad person. You were just... lost." Kemuri blinked silently for a few seconds, pushing the tears back as best she could, surprised that the brunette seemed to have a few tears in her own eyes.

"Thank you... Um..."

"Tifa," she smiled. "Tifa Lockheart."

"Thank you, Tifa. And I'm sorry if I've caused you any trouble in this mess."

"Not at all." At this point, both the women were smiling faintly, apparently a friendship quickly rekindled even in the absence of memory. But Reno was still put off, coming up behind the blonde and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Kemuri. We should still go."

"But-"

"No. If you want, we can come back some other time, when Strife isn't here, then we can." When she shot him a skeptical look, he continued, "I promise. But you've had enough of a shock for tonight, okay? And no arguing it, when you almost drop right in front of me, that's enough." She smiled ruefully at him and turned to follow, thanking Tifa one last time as they left.

She seemed contended enough on the ride home, resting her head against his back on the bike. She hummed along with the radio while she cooked, making him help as usual with menial tasks and laughing at how he let her convince him to wear her apron when he stirred the curry sauce she'd made. There was even conversation during dinner, about how his job was going, when he'd next have to spend a night or two out of town. In fact, things were so pleasant that he'd completely forgotten her troubled mood by the time he came back from his next business trip, and was caught completely by surprise when she finally sprung on him. He was still in the shower, soap in his hair as she brushed her teeth, and apparently she thought having him cornered there was the perfect opportunity.

"Reno, can I ask you something?" He faltered for a second, letting the soap run into his eyes and burn.

"Right now?"

"Yeah." She pulled the shower curtain back a little, looking in at him as he rinsed the soap from his face. She waited a second, but decided she didn't care if he was going to say no.

"You call everyone by their last names." He raised his head and stepped further under the water to get all of his hair clean.

"That's not a question." She put a hand on her hip, frowning a little.

"Well, you never told me what mine was. Or yours, for that matter. How come?" He shut off the water and reached out, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist, then facing her.

"We don't have last names, do we? Orphans and all. They didn't tell us our old ones, if they ever knew, and they didn't make up new ones for us. Besides," he stepped out of the shower, careful to maneuver so that he had her close against the wall, "we're a little more familiar than that, aren't we?" His smirk was contagious, and soon she smiled, relenting. He leaned down to kiss her, but she slipped away from him, pausing in the doorway, taunting him with a smirk of her own.

"You're not very charming when you're dripping water everywhere like a wet dog."

"And I thought I was always charming," he grinned, pulling the towel free and rubbing his hair dry with it.

"Whoever told you that line?" She laughed, leaving him behind and going into the kitchen for a drink. He followed shortly after, towel back in place and his hair a still damp mess.

"Oh, some girl I used to know. But who can remember which..." She turned and stuck out her tongue at him, pouting.

"Then maybe you should go ask her." Apparently the woman's mood was still a little off kilter. Something was still bothering her. Reno dropped the smile and grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her loosely.

"What's the problem?" She looked away for a second, looking for an excuse now that she was caught.

"It's nothing. I'm sorry-"

"It's not nothing. Tell me." She pulled away and leaned against the counter.

"Reno, are you in a gang?"

"What?" He laughed, loudly, only worsening her mood. "Like the mob or something?"

"Yeah..." her voice had dropped to a low mutter. This was something serious.

"You remembered something? Is that it?"

"I dunno. It's a dream I had, the night we went to the bar and talked with Tifa. There were men in suits, and you were there, dressed like you do for work. I think it must've been my old apartment or something, because we were all in a bedroom, but it wasn't here." Now Reno leaned back against the wall opposite her, trying to keep down a slow boiling panic in his gut.

"Y-yeah?"

"You had a black eye, and your lip was busted, and you looked scared. That's what scared me the most, I think. I've never seen you look like that before. But then the others, the guys in suits, they started hitting me... Torturing me, I think." she sniffed once, trying to seem like she wasn't about to cry. "I keep telling myself that it was just a nightmare, but it was just so real, it felt so real..." He seized the opportunity and pulled her back into his arms, holding her against him.

"It wasn't real, Kemuri. You dreamed it, okay?" He felt her nod.

"B-but you didn't answer me. The people you work for... Would they do that? If you upset them?" He pulled her face up to look him in the eye.

"Do you think I would let anyone do that to you? That I would put you in danger like that?" He held his breath waiting for her to buy it. He was skating on thin ice this time.

"It's just that... Well, what if you couldn't stop them?"

"Don't talk like that. Besides," he joked, "I wouldn't do anything that put my job at risk." She didn't smile back at him.

"But you already have, haven't you? I'm-" She caught his disapproving look and corrected herself, "_I_ _was_ some kind of villain, and you were protecting me, right?" He didn't say anything, but she was sure she was right, his silence was enough to assure her of that. "I'm sorry, Reno. I didn't mean to get you into any of this." She buried her head into his chest, and they stayed there for a few long moments.

"That's all past now anyways," he finally murmured. "And nothing so bad as that happened, yo. As far as I'm concerned, it was just a bad dream, and it's over now. Okay?" Kemuri took a few seconds to reply.

"Okay."


	22. Chapter 22

Reno looked up from the table, eyebrows raised, as a shout rang out across the barroom. Even with the place full, it was unmistakably Kemuri, but when his eyes found her standing at the bar, he found she was laughing. She'd insisted on getting the drinks herself, and had spent more time talking with Tifa than anything else up there. With a feigned sigh and a smirk, he stood and approached her, leaning in so that his mouth was close enough to her ear to be heard above the lively din of the place.

"What happened to my beer?" She looked up at him, eyes wide like a bad child caught coloring on the wall, but he couldn't suppress his smile long enough for her to really take him seriously. She looked back toward the bar and mumbled something to Tifa, both of the women erupting into laughter, then turned to him, a glass in each hand.

"Don't be so impatient, Reno," she grinned as she slipped past him and sauntered back to their table. "You act like if you don't get it now, you'll die." He smirked in return, slouching down into his chair next to her.

"What can I say? Sometimes a man just can't wait, yo." She laughed at his clear innuendo, and took a long swig of her beer. He followed suit, careful to drink slower than her and much less- in case she decided to get a little drunk and needed help getting home, he told her when she asked. She smiled again, her cheeks gaining the slightest blush, and mumbled something about being a gentleman, and he smiled deviously, response enough to her.

* * *

She enjoyed herself that night, and drank quite a bit, hanging around the Seventh Heaven until Tifa was closing up. Trying not to think about all the drinks he'd missed out on so far, he took her arm as Kemuri swayed a bit on her feet. Pleasantries were exchanged, and soon the pair was out on the street, walking slowly back to the apartment they called home. He wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her steady, and as they walked, she put her head on his shoulder, looking around with glassy eyes.

"It's so pretty tonight. Don't you think so, Reno?" She shivered and he pulled her closer speaking lowly into her ear.

"Sweetheart, the only pretty thing I see in this city is you." She laughed aloud, the sound echoing off the buildings and down the mostly empty street.

"Oh, please. You're gonna make me puke." He chuckled too, and they walked a little further, coming into the square where the fallen monument was still being cleaned up and shaped into a new one. Where some of the worst of things had happened, people were still camped, their homes completely lost or being rebuilt in the efforts Shinra was making to help out the city. Kemuri sighed, lifting her head from its spot on his arm and watching the damaged remains as they passed.

"I mean it though. This city has been through so much, you know? And it's still so beautiful. I just feel awful about everything."

"Hey now. Don't start talking like that." He'd meant it to sound like a comforting sentiment, but he'd noticed how her voice was a bit louder than normal thanks to the alcohol, and how it had already caught the attention of more than a few of the other people near enough to hear her. But Kemuri pulled free from him, stopping in his path to look him in the eye, still a little unsteady on her feet, but determined. He was pretty sure she even had tears in her eyes, but that might've been the moonlight reflecting wrong. Either way, he had a bad feeling about this, and he felt damn sure he wasn't going to let her drink this much anymore.

"No, Reno. _I mean it_. Look at this place!" Her voice spiked, caught a little on the last word. She was really ramped up now.

"It's my fault, after all, isn't it? If I hadn't helped them out, hadn't wrecked a whole neighborhood fighting Cloud for nothing, he could've prevented so much of this! And what am I doing to help now- hiding away in shame?" Her lip quivered and the tears threatened to slip, but she held them at bay, at least for now. "If only I hadn't-" but a hand grabbed her arm, starling her and interrupting the thought.

"What are you sayin' there, miss?" A young man asked. A few other people stood behind him, nodding their agreement with his stepping up to Kemuri, but too scared or polite to do it themselves. Reno stepped forward and pulled the blonde from the stranger's grip.

"She's not sayin' anything, yo. She's drunk, can't you see that?" He had a couple of inches on the guy, maybe a couple of years practicing how to knock someone out, too. But when it came down to it, he was solid mass where the redhead was thinner, more lean muscle than brawn... and probably more breakable. He pushed back the urge to knock the guy's teeth out and took a step back instead, turning away to face his companion.

"Come on, Kemuri, let's get you home," he muttered, pulling her by the same arm past the small group that was gathering, but a shout from one of them made him realize his own damning mistake.

"Kemuri?" the murmur swept through the crowd, swelling it to almost all of the people that had been in the square. He swore under his breath, shoving Kemuri a few steps back before turning to face the increasingly angry mob-like group.

"Shouldn't have said her name," he muttered, eyes scanning the group. At least they were about half old or half starved, or women that didn't look likely to fight. That left maybe ten men, maybe five or six street kids that looked like they might throw rocks or swears from the side of any fight that broke out. He'd been up against worse. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hands into a slow shrug, letting a wide smile across his face.

"Look, I'm not looking for any trouble here, alright? Let's all just go on our way, and forget the stupid shit the girl said, eh?" The man who'd originally said something stepped forward, bolder with the support of others, and looked past Reno.

"We aren't talking to _you_-" he jabbed a finger at Reno's chest, sending a jolt of anger through him, "we're talking to your 'friend'. The _bitch_ that destroyed our city." Reno grabbed the hand that pointed at him, and quicker than the stranger was prepared for, twisted and bent it backwards almost to the point of snapping the wrist. He cried out and the crowd gasped, going silent for a moment. He heard Kemuri call out shakily to him from somewhere behind, but he was focused on the people before him now, lowering his voice a little and bobbing his head down to his captive's level. Now even though it seemed a private conversation, he knew a few of the others could hear, and would tell the rest what he'd said.

"Now look here, my man. She hasn't done anything, you get me? Not. A. Thing. When I let go of you, you're not going to touch me again, and you're sure as hell not going to touch her. You're going to mind your own business, and go back to whatever shit-hole it is you call a home." He raised his voice, glancing up. "You all are. Understand what I'm sayin', yo?" No one protested, so he released the man and turned back to Kemuri, waving a hand to her to reassure her it was alright. But the look in her eyes didn't calm, and when they flicked over his shoulder, he cursed under his breath, and began to turn so that the inevitable punch wouldn't hit him on the bac kof the neck.

It caught his jaw, giving a bolt of electric pain through his head and leaving him tasting blood, but when he faced the attacker, he was smiling. Not the sly smirk of a man trying to charm people into doing what he wanted them to, but the wide grin of a man who's born to kill. One whose only joy in life is tearing men apart, who's had to go far too long without, and just found his chance to make up for lost time. He called back to Kemuri as he dodged another swing, returning the first hit with enough force to knock the man on his back gasping. One down, at least for the moment. He slipped his free hand into his pocket, flipping open his phone and hitting the only number on his speed dial that might be useful at the moment. He heard it pick up, but instead of lifting it to his ear, let the call run concealed.

"Go on and get out of here."

"But Reno-" she started, and the group surrounded him, the fight really starting. He avoided most of the hits, only a few glancing blows connecting as the still cautious men came in ones or twos, hoping Kemuri had had enough sense to go back to the bar and not lead these people to the apartment. But as he fended them off their anger only increased, and after a few minutes they were landing more blows than he was dodging. He was losing slowly to the group, cursing himself for slipping in his control of the situation, and before much longer they had him on his knees, held back by enough people and collective force to keep him for the moment. He grinned again as he looked around at them, knowing that it only pissed them off more to see him so happy at his own defeat.

"What've you got to be smiling about?" the impromptu leader asked him, returning the fist to the stomach he'd originally received from the redhead.

"Well-" he choked out, the air knocked from him and more than a little blood on his lips, "there's what- ten of you? And each of you... Is in worse shape than I am... A bit sad... Isn't it, yo?" That was when the other man smiled, sinking Reno's good humor completely. The crowd parted a little, and Kemuri was dragged forward and driven to her knees just in front of him, a busted lip and tears in her eyes all over again.

"Reno, I'm sorry-"

"Why didn't you run?"

"I didn't want to leave you, I-" She was cut off by a sharp yank on her hair, pulling her head back to look up at their captors.

"You ruined our city. You tried to destroy the planet."

"I didn't-" He slapped her across the face. At least they were still taking it easy on her.

"You did. And you're going to pay for it. Now." Rough hands searched Reno, pulling the gun and the ID card from his jacket.

"Investigation section, department of general affairs... Reno. You're a Shinra man then." A small flash of disgust. "Almost as bad as she is." Reno ignored them, watching Kemuri. Willing her with his eyes to be strong, not to cry at least. If things were going to go as bad as they might, he sure as hell didn't want her crying to be the last thing he saw before-

"Hey, now. Don't cry, darling. Just focus on me, okay?" She nodded, trying to blink the tears back, but failing as the barrel of the gun pressed roughly to his temple. The man was telling her something about retribution, about vengeance. Her eyes kept flicking up to him, but Reno held most of her attention, keeping a string of words flowing as well.

"I want you to listen to me, alright? I know this seems bad, but it's going to be fine. I called someone, you understand? Don't you worry about a thing, you'll be fine."

"Reno-"

"Don't. I'm sorry about this. It'll be over soon, don't look at them. Just focus on me, and when he cocks it, close your eyes."

"But-" she squeezed her eyes shut for a second, tears streaking down her face, and when she opened them, they had a familiar glow to them that scared him more than anything these people would do.

"Kemuri, don't. Just listen to me, okay? No matter what happens, I love you." Her pupils dilated and her body seemed to shake slightly, thrumming with the inherent power she'd remained ignorant to all this time. The crowd paused for a second, but the one with the gun flipped off the safety, giving Reno's own heart a stuttered beat or two. Was this the moment that he would die? Was this the end of a life of drinking, smoking, and womanizing? Of doing things that would make polite society vomit- in the name of a job? With this girl in front of him, who'd caused him so much trouble, and who'd made him love every second of it? The hammer clicked back, and her gaze rose to the man ready to kill him, death in her eyes.

"Kemuri-" his voice faltered, "Don't look. Close your eyes." She looked at him, the anger not dimming, refusing. She would watch. "Sweetheart, if I had a last name, I'd give it to you any day." Despite everything, she smiled then, and it was Reno who closed his eyes, hoping for that look to be the last thing he saw, but when the gun fired, there was nothing.

For a moment he wondered if that was it, if he was dead now. But there was still the sound of a crowd shouting, and when he thought about it, he could still feel the uneven pavement on his knees. He opened his eyes just as the gun fired once more, the sound so close to his ear shocking him to his ass on the ground.

"Get up," her voice was calm, low, and more than a little apathetic than he'd been hoping for. He looked up at her, standing over him, the look on her face giving him everything he needed to know. Kemuri was back- at least a part of her was. He complied, standing next to her and turning to view what she'd accomplished. The leader of the mob was unconscious, no doubt hit by the gun he'd held against them, and the rest of the crowd had backed up into a tight, scared grouping a few feet back. But she must've shot into the air to do this, and surprised the man into misfiring the first shot, because no one had a bullet hole in them. She leveled the gun at the crowd, tilting her head to one side a little, as if curious about them.

"Why haven't you run on home yet? Don't make me use the rest of these bullets." That seemed to do the trick, and the square quickly emptied, leaving only the few who passed through on their way to somewhere else. She lowered the gun to her side but kept her grip tight on it, continuing to stare at the half toppled monument.

"Kemuri...?" She shoved the gun at him, her hand shaking almost imperceptibly as she pressed the barrel at his chest.

"Do you know what your mistake was, Reno?" He was too dumbfounded to respond, so after a few seconds, she answered for him. "You said the same things just now as when you and your boss tortured and raped me."

"I-"

"You should've come up with a new line or two. Especially if you didn't want me to remember what you did." A thought leapt into his head when she finally looked at him that she would kill him now, quick and careless like she used to talk about, but her finger moved away from the trigger slowly and her grip loosened as her hand became more and more unsteady.

"Kemuri, you don't understand, it's not like that, yo. Let's talk about this, alright?"

"Take your gun and get out of here before I change my mind." This she meant, one hundred percent, and he obliged, slipping the weapon from her hand and taking a few steps back.

"Just don't do anything stupid, alright? Think about things, try to remember... and come home so I can explain, okay?" Her face contorted into a mask of rage, and she screamed at him, teeth bared like an animal. He had no doubt that if she'd had the gun still, he'd have a hole in him this time.

"I said go!" But she didn't wait for him to move, turning and running the opposite direction. It took him a few moments to recover, watching her leave like that, but eventually he figured the crowd might come back, and it might not be a good idea to be standing in the same spot then. He walked aimlessly until he found himself back home, sitting on the couch with a bottle of vodka in his hand. There was no use for a glass at this point, and before he knew it the evening was coming in bits and pieces like it used to.

"Just like the good old days," he mumbled, the sound of his own voice in the cavernous emptiness of the apartment making him jump. He looked down, found the bottle half gone, and grinned ruefully. At least he hadn't lost his tolerance. He stumbled to the bedroom, tearing the dresser drawers open so that they hung awkwardly, one falling and bruising his foot, then forgot why he had come home at all. Then he was on the floor in front of the couch, phone open next to him, and a knocking at the door.

"Reno!" a man's voice called sharply. "Let me in, will you?" The door swung too fast and smashed against the wall, the redhead leaning completely in the frame to keep upright.

"Go on home, Rude," he slurred. "I don't need you here. 'Sides, if she comes back while you're here, it'll just make things worse." Rude pushed by his partner, taking him by the arm and leading him to sit.

"You called me, Reno. Rememb-" but the larger man knew his partner wouldn't. He took the alcohol, with a weak protest and a small struggle, and left it in the kitchen sink, draining, before sitting down next to the redhead.

"So she left you. What happened?"

"I fucked it up." The bald man waited. "She remembered. At least part of it..."

"I'm guessing not the part where you confessed your love and saved her life?" Reno shot him a glare, and Rude sighed, regretting his attempt at lightheartedness. "How'd it happen?" The redhead shook his head, not wanting to talk about it, but Rude wouldn't let him get out of it so easily. If he knew anything about his partner, it was how to handle him when he was drunk enough to get a late night phone call.

"We were walking home from Lockheart's place, and some fucks in the square figured out who she was," Reno finally began, speech slurred and slow. "I shouldn't 'ave let her drink like that... Shouldn't 'ave said he fuckin' name, yo." Rude sat back, tucking his sunglasses into a pocket as he did. This story was going to be a long one, and convoluted if Reno was starting with regrets.

"I thought you said she knew about that," he prompted the redhead.

"Yeah, well, if I wasn't such a stupid piece of shit, then maybe we would've been fine..."


	23. Chapter 23

She pulled the hat down further over her hair, trying not to look too paranoid as she walked the city streets.

'Not too fast,' she chided herself, 'don't keep glancing around like you've done something wrong.' But she couldn't help but keep an eye out for another angry passerby, or perhaps a certain redhead that might be combing the city for her. At least she'd managed to lift the cap from a street vendor before he realized what she was doing, hiding her hair and keeping her face in shadow. Now if only she could think of a place to go. A place that wouldn't take money, that he wouldn't look for her. Because he had to be looking for her by now, right?

She ended up at the back door to the Seventh Heaven, huddled in the shadows of the alley with her arms wrapped around her body. She knocked only once, three short raps, half hoping that no one would hear her and she wouldn't have to face the people inside. But she heard footsteps approaching, too heavy to be Tifa's, and by the time she could hear the latches on the door clicking open, she was near panicking and running away. The first moment when his eyes fell on her the two of them were frozen, but when she opened her mouth to speak to him, he acted.

She caught the fist loosely, turning and deflecting it well enough that he stumbled forward and their positions were almost reversed. There was a flash of fear in his eyes when he straightened up, quickly overcome by anger, and she laughed, tears spilling out in spite of her determination not to let them. The combination surprised both of them, and she leaned against the doorframe, still feeling a little lightheaded from the mix of booze and the night's events.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to kill you. Or hurt Tifa or the kids. I just- I don't have anywhere else to go."

"What makes you think you can come here?" he muttered, muscles tensing in preparation for another attack.

"Tifa's my only friend- the only real one anyways. She has been all this time." She paused, swiping the tears from her face with her fingertips, then dropped her voice. "Besides, I thought since we're-"

"We're nothing." he spat, launching himself at her. He had weight on her, but she managed to hold her own, dodging every punch he threw at her and making a point of not striking back. But that much work was tiring with a head that was only starting to come down from a night of drinks, and she winced as he slammed her against a wall in the small back hallway. He had one arm braced against her chest, and he came close, staring her hatefully in the eyes. For a few seconds there was silence again, but she croaked out, new tears forming as more memories flooded her mind, filling her head to bursting with trying to keep the present in focus.

"Cloud..." she croaked out, her voice lost to crying, and dropped her gaze from his face. He cursed himself for the moment of hesitation, remembering the last time she said his name so pleadingly, the last time she'd sounded so sad. So like mother. His grip loosened and she acted quickly, throwing him back against the other wall, hand on his throat. Her eyes met his again, and there was a flicker of something sinister, something she bit back quickly. She released him, stepping back.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong in coming here. I'll go."

"No, you won't," a voice called out from the far end of the hall. They both looked suddenly, Tifa stalking toward them in a nightgown and an loose robe, the hard set of her eyes contrasting with the soft, sleepy look still about her.

"What's happened, Kemuri?" she asked, almost ignoring the blonde man and putting an arm around the other woman. "You've got blood on you, and you've been crying. Did something happen to you and Reno on the way home? Is he alright?" Kemuri held back a sob as she was led to the small personal kitchen Tifa kept and sat down in a creaky wooden chair.

"Oh, I'm sure he's alright. Got the best of everything, didn't he?"

"What do you-"

"Don't act like you don't know. All the things he and his _people_ did? And then... This?"

"Kemuri, it's not like that, he's-" She turned, gaze burning into Tifa's as tears fell freely down her face.

"_What_? He's what? It's not like what? He didn't torture me? He didn't play me like a goddamn fool and turn me in to Shinra? He didn't watch while his boss raped me, then take a turn for himself? He didn't-" her voice caught on a sob, "he didn't tell me he loved me while doing it, then leave me to die?" There was an uncomfortable silence, as Tifa couldn't deny any of what she'd heard, couldn't explain it in a way that she thought the distraught woman would understand.

"And then what? I find out I'm not quite as much an orphan as I thought, but I ruined _that_, too." Kemuri sagged down, resting her head in her arms and falling silent. The darker haired woman sat down next to her and put an hand on her back, rubbing gently.

"Kemuri, it's not so bad as that. You haven't ruined anything. What happened wasn't your fault, and no one who knows the whole story hates you at all." As she said this last part, she shot a look over the other woman at Cloud, who stood stiffly in the doorway, still ready to throw Kemuri out. "Now come on upstairs and you can get some sleep, okay? We'll talk some more tomorrow, and things won't seem so bad in the light of the morning, you'll see." She started to stand, pulling Kemuri with her, but the blonde pulled away.

"No, I can't stay here. They'll look for me here."

"No one's looking for you, not tonight. And if someone does show up, and you really don't want to see them, Cloud and I will make sure no one bothers you. _Both of us_." Cloud sighed heavily and stepped back out into the hallway as the two women passed out of the kitchen as well, leaning against the wall as if he wasn't paying attention.

"No. I can't," Kemuri insisted. "Even if it's just _him_- I can't stay here anymore. I just came because you've been so good to me, and I wanted to thank you and say goodbye. And I wanted to..." she trailed off, but gathered her courage and mumbled without looking up, "I wanted to see my brother and really apologize before I left." At that, Tifa couldn't hold back any longer, tears filling her own eyes but refusing to fall, and she pulled Kemuri into a tight hug. They stayed like that for a short time, Kemuri slowly returning the gesture.

"Where will you go?" she asked after releasing the blonde.

"I don't know. I wouldn't tell you anyway, it would just cause you trouble if someone thinks you can find me." Tifa started to protest again, but held it back, asking instead,

"Do you have any money? Any other clothes? How are you going to get anywhere?" Kemuri shrugged.

"I figured I'd walk. It's as good as anything, and I don't guess that my little machine made it out of that crash in the square. And I'll find money. I did odd jobs for years. Believe it or not I _am_ good at more than just putting a man in the ground." Tifa looked hurt by this comment, and before she knew it, Kemuri had a bag full of food and old clothes on her shoulder, and a small wad of money in her pocket, no matter how she tried to protest at the notion. She offered Cloud for a ride out of the city, but Kemuri managed to turn that down successfully, and after a few more words, Tifa went back upstairs to the children.

Cloud was waiting by the back door when she came back down the hall, arms crossed and staring at his feet. She stopped in front of him, setting the bag on the ground and letting her hands fall by her sides.

"If it makes you feel better about things, you can hit me. I won't fight back." He grunted a harsh chuckle, looking up.

"I don't know if you remember, but I was the one that almost killed you. If anyone's already gotten revenge, it's me."

"I know. But you also saved me. I remember that too, and you're still angry about it. So go ahead, -" she didn't finish the sentence before he swung, and as promised, she didn't move to avoid it or swing back. She hit the floor hard, and a few feet down the hallway after sliding on the wooden floor. Her jaw throbbed as she got up, picking up her bag and slinging it back onto her shoulder. He was looking at his fist, where the knuckles were already reddening.

"I didn't think you meant it." he said incredulously.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "and I want you to know, I never knew the one who started this. I saw him once, in a dream. Fully grown, and if my guess is right, he couldn't have been much older than you or I at the time. Just a kid. All of what I did, I did for the people I thought were my family, I got caught up in my anger, in revenge. And when I found out the whole truth of things, I only found that it was pointless, and that I'd been the biggest fool of anyone all along. So I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what he did, and his remnants, and I'm sorry that after everything, all you've got for a sister is me. I won't bother you anymore, alright?" He finally looked up at her face, their eyes meeting. The hand that'd just hit her came up, gently touching the red, swelling part of her cheek, hesitating there. She didn't flinch if it hurt, and his voice almost failed when he spoke, coming out as a gravelly sound barely above a whisper.

"I'm sorry." A new tear slipped from her eye, catching on one of his fingers, and he finally pulled back. She smiled and moved around him, walking out into the alley.

"Kemuri-" he called, but stopped, unsure what he'd meant to say. She looked back from the gathering gloom of the night and smiled again, eyes shining with tears and glowing faintly in the darkness, and called back,

"I figure Costa del Sol will be a nice change. I'll call Tifa sometime when I get there, to let her know I'm alright." Before he could say anything else, she was gone, lost in the twilight of the ruined city.

The talking seemed to calm the redhead, bring him back from the depths of whatever self loathing place he'd gone to. It had taken him less time than Rude thought to tell the story of what had happened, and quite a bit less self deprecation that he was expecting after the start to the evening. He reassured his partner that she'd remember more, that she'd probably only gone to Lockheart's place to talk things over. That she'd remember all of it, and by morning, or at least by the time he recovered from his hangover, he'd be able to go there and make up with the blonde girl. Overall, it was much simpler to handle Reno when he'd gotten fucked up over this girl than anything else he'd seen the man like this about. Not that he'd leave tonight and let him do something stupid.

By the time one o'clock hit, Reno was feeling more or less sober, and managed a convincing enough argument to get Rude at least to sleep on the couch, since he still refused to leave his partner alone. By two, Reno was showered and dressed in fresh clothes. It was underneath the flow of steaming water that he realized where he had to go, if he wanted to see her. He was fairly certain of at least a few options she might take, and either way, he had to take his chance too. By two thirty he was checking to make sure Rude was actually asleep with a series of loud noises and other tests, and by three he was climbing out his bedroom window and down the fire escape, walking the streets away from his apartment instead of using the noisier bike. When he reached the start of the real ruins of the city, he was more careful not to announce his presence, making his way to his destination faster than he thought he would and climbing the still mostly standing staircase.

She lay in the ruins of her old bedroom, staring at the night sky where the roof had been taken off completely. He hesitated in the doorway, not sure if she was awake even though her eyes were open. For a brief moment, a fear stabbed into his chest that she'd killed herself there on the floor, but she spoke suddenly, making him jump.

"You never used to be able to see the stars here. Too many lights." He took a step into the room, looking up and seeing for himself what she meant. There were quite a few stars out, but this had been a part of the city largely abandoned after the battle. It was dark enough now for stargazing, and apparently that's what she'd had in mind. Reno took another step forward, but her gaze fell to him for a second, dark and threatening. He backed up and slid down against the wall by the door, lighting a cigarette from his pocket, almost coughing at the unfamiliarity of the smoke after the last few months.

"Tifa washed everything, you know. I remember that. But the blood didn't come off. The floor, it's ruined." It was true, he noticed, she lay in the middle of a dark stained spot on the floor, the very spot where the worst of this ordeal had started.

"I guess it's a good thing you don't live here anymore then. The rain'd get in anyway... Come home with me." She laughed, and it echoed in the destroyed room, chilling him.

"You think it'd be that easy, still? After what you did?"

"Kemuri, I-"

"I came here to think," she interrupted. "It took me a while, but I remember most everything. Some of the beginning is a bit hazy, but I know how you tried to make up for it at the end. How I gave up my grudge and how you risked your life to save mine."

"So..." he couldn't help the note of hope that crept into his voice.

"You should go. I'm not yours anymore. I'm leaving."

"But- you said- you said you remembered. You know I had no choice, you know I didn't want to hurt you-" He didn't know how to end his own sentence, feeling more foolish by the second.

"What I know is that you played me. From the start. Played me into your arms, into your bed. You lied when it suited you, and then you used the truth to play me even further. Even if you ever loved me-" she cleared her throat, having trouble with making her speech calmly, "you let me believe you weren't the monster that you are. You used me like a toy, keeping the truth from me so you could have me however you wanted me. You made me a creature of your own design... You made me love you, and none of it was even real. Violence I can forgive, Reno. I'm a SOLDIER, after all, a glorified assassin. But this- I can't." She stood slowly, picking up a bag from the foot of the wrecked bed frame that still remained. He stood with her, grimacing at the twinge in his leg as he did. She came to him, stood there in front of him, where he could feel her breath on his neck.

"Please don't follow me. If you care at all, if you ever did, do that for me. Let me live my life. Let me really start over this time. Let me have some peace." she choked on the last word, her eyes flitting up to his for a moment. In that instant, he dropped the cigarette, wrapping her up in his arms and pulling her into a hard kiss. She didn't resist, staying perfectly still in his grasp, pressing back only lightly and parting her lips the slightest bit. He knew at that moment he could have her, if only he took her, made her come with him, and that she wouldn't complain. Probably part of her even wanted it, wanted him to claim her as he always had, not give her the choice. But that only drove the knife in deeper, and he knew that he couldn't. He, the master of taming women, of getting what he wanted when he wanted. He pulled her closer, tasting her one last time, then pulled away. She took a step back, wiping her eyes, and hefted the bag higher onto her shoulder. When she looked at him again, she was determined, but no longer angry. She knew he'd made a choice, as much as she had tried to.

"Goodbye Reno."

"Darlin'" he drawled, trying not to choke on his words. On how sickening he sounded, trying to be casual as she walked out on him. She hesitated in the doorway, managing a small smile as her eyes traveled over his face, memorizing it.

"Don't beat yourself up over this for too long, okay? It's like you said, we're a lot alike. And you and I both know things never go that well. It probably wouldn't have worked out, anyway. So don't let it fuck you up." Now he smiled too, a sad imitation of a smirk, and in his hurt, he said the only thing he could think of.

"Honey, don't worry about me. There are other girls in Edge. There are _always_ other girls." Her smile dropped and he knew he'd done it, he knew he'd gotten the last strike, the killing blow. She left silently, and he stood completely still for a few more moments in the broken apartment before lighting a new smoke and taking a long drag. He glanced up at the open sky that was the ceiling, and sank back to the floor, stretching his feet out in front of him. He could hear a cycle coming this way, grinning ruefully at the thought of his partner racing to the only place he'd possibly be tonight, face all scrunched up like he was mad. Would he be mad when he got here? Would he hit Reno for this, or was it really fear in him that made the bald man come like he was? Did it even make a difference?

The moon came from behind a cloud, highlighting the haze of smoke he'd let waft up from his head and the stains on the hardwood floor. From here, they looked almost black, a shadow of Kemuri as she'd been. The only thing she'd left for him, now old and faded because she was gone. There was a click, and he looked down into his other hand, surprised to see the gun that was hers, the one he'd kept when he'd gathered her things. He'd taken the safety off, not that he remembered even tucking it into his jacket when he'd left his apartment.

He looked from it to the stain, back and forth, wondering what he'd meant to do with this... _thing_. There were footsteps coming up the stairs now, heavy and rushed, and a faint shout echoing up the stairwell. His name, over and over. Reno thought how funny it was, that he'd grabbed _her_ gun, how it seemed to have practically made its own way to his temple, prepared itself to get Kemuri's revenge even though she wasn't here. Even though she'd said she'd forgiven him all but his lies. Maybe this was her revenge for that, then, leaving him like this with her gun and that old blood stain deep in the wood. There was another shout, louder now, almost to his floor. His floor, with everything he'd done wrong here. The shout was harsh, raspy and strained. Rude was out of breath. Definitely upset. But he still couldn't decide if it was anger there or fear, which he'd driven the stoic man to tonight.

Reno wondered which it would be if Rude found a new stain on the floor when he arrived?

* * *

A/N: So this was originally supposed to be the last chapter, but after finishing another one of my fics recently, i felt bad about ending everything with only death and sadness. So i started to write a little epilogue, but it turned out depressing too, and then it turned into pretty much a whole extra chapter (eight pages on my word processor, when my normal chapter was six or seven). So pretty much, enjoy this angsty bit, and then when i edit the next bit, enjoy the final chapter/long epilogue/piecey bit of writing that skips over time to make a long thing a little less long.


	24. Chapter 24

He tugged at the collar of his shirt, as if it would lessen the heat. It felt like the hottest day of the year, and of course there was not a cloud in the sky. He'd already left the first two buttons of his shirt undone, and for once, Rude looked almost jealous of it. Not that the man would ever do the same, especially not while they were on 'official business'. He slouched in his chair, feet stretched out straight in front of him, and looked up at the blue and white umbrella over their table.

"It's hot as hell, yo," he mumbled, closing his eyes. He didn't hear a response, but he hadn't really expected to, so he straightened up a little, picking up his pack of cigarettes from the table. But when he tipped the package toward his empty hand, he found it empty, and sighed, crumpling it and dropping it. Rude simply watched, then took a drink of the water he'd ordered. Reno looked at his own glass disdainfully, wishing it had something stronger in it.

Not that he could have anything stronger, they were 'on the clock', as it were.

Reno stood abruptly, rattling his chair back but catching it from falling. Rude made to stand as well, but the redhead waved him back down. It was lunch after all, and just because he was fidgety- and maybe still a bit hungover- didn't mean that his partner had to follow him everywhere.

"Eat your lunch, but tell 'em to box mine up or something. I'm not hungry." Rude raised an eyebrow, started to open his mouth, but he was cut off. "I'm just gonna walk down the street, buy another pack of smokes, check out the area. I'll be back quicker than you'll miss my company, alright? Then we can get started. Sound good?"

Rude gave a short nod, and Reno was off down the street before another word could be said. Away from the small restaurant there was a faint breeze, coming up between some of the buildings from the ocean, and once he took off his jacket and slung it over his shoulder, the heat wasn't nearly as bad. He walked at a slower pace than usual, blending in with the vacationers and locals as much as a man in an almost complete suit could, passing by the first couple of small vendors and corner shops in favor of one further than he'd said he would go. But the girl at the counter was a knockout, a seven or eight out of ten, which was unusual here. Maybe not on the beach or in some shop or tourist trap, but for a working local, it was almost out of the ordinary to find someone under 40 in the first place.

She smiled when he walked in, catching his relief at the gush of cold air even as she checked out a customer, and he could tell she was watching him as he browsed lazily the racks of magazines and snow globes and other junk people would buy here. By the time he sauntered up to the counter, she was overjoyed, and if he judged it right, practically wetting herself for his attention already. He wondered absentmindedly if he would have an evening free before they had to go back to Edge. She a pack of his favorite cigarettes across the counter toward him.

"I figured you'd be back for more." He leaned against the counter, grinning.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were flirting with me, yo." She returned the smile, little tease that she was, and leaned a little closer.

"You know, I was thinking, since you said you were only in town a couple days on business..." she blushed, and he suddenly found himself pulling away. He tried to tell himself it was only that he wasn't sure of her age, but something about her blushing reminded him of something-

"Uh, Reno, did you hear me?" he snapped back to reality, looking up at her.

"Sorry, sweetheart, what did you say?"

"I said I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight, if you aren't too busy. I understand if you are, I just thought maybe-" His smile cut her off.

"An evening with you sounds like a magnificent one. You want me to pick you up, or meet you there?"

"Oh, I live right by this nice little place by the beach, not too far from here. I can meet you there. Is eight okay?" He grabbed the cigarettes and dropped some change on the counter, turning to leave.

"Eight is perfect. See you then." When he got back to the table, Rude looked a bit perturbed, but when didn't he? Reno sat back down and lit up, taking a long drag and relishing the taste of the smoke.

"So where's your date tonight?" Rude asked after a few minutes of silence. He shrugged.

"Dinner at the beach." The larger man finished swallowed a mouthful of a sandwich and pushed his plate away.

"And what time to we have to be finished by?"

"Eight. But that shouldn't be a problem, should it? We're just scoping out some hood's meeting place. Won't even need to talk to them until tomorrow or the day after," Reno smiled. He was pretty sure Rude rolled his eyes behind those dark shades, but it didn't kill his mood.

"You know, Rude, this might be a pretty good vacation after all," he said as they stood and paid. This time he could hear his partner sigh as they stepped back into the flow of people on the street.

"We aren't on vacation."

* * *

The heat only barely lessened as the sun lowered, but Reno brought his jacket anyways, just in case this dinner thing was a fancy event. He showed up a bit early, surveying the place as he always did for a date. Apparently it wasn't too high class a place, tables set out on a deck built directly on the sand, a small stage to one side where live music drifted over the entire scene. He waited for her outside. He waited against the wall outside until the girl showed up, greeting him with an awkward hug and a dazzling smile. As she led the way inside the he took her in fully, unmindful if anyone saw his eyes tracing her body.

She was wearing a light summer dress with a sweater over top, in a yellow and white flowered pattern. Her hair was braided to one side, a dirty blonde color that complemented her tanned skin. She sat close to him, looking excited, and again Reno felt himself doubting his date. Sure, she was pretty, but wasn't tanned skin around here a little over played? Wasn't the shade of blonde she'd tried so hard to achieve a little too dirty? Maybe if she was a bit blonder, a bit fairer...

"Reno?"

"Sorry, honey, I was just thinking about work. I'm all yours now." She said something else, how glad she was to be here with him, but the sentiment soured on him and he sat back into his seat. "So you live around here? You must have an amazing view of the beach from your room." She blushed again at his implication, but their conversation was interrupted by a waiter, taking their orders and bringing them drinks. He threw caution to the wind, ordering a scotch, and sat back, letting her do most of the talking, something she seemed to have no problem with. A little band started up, playing middle of the road music you could dance to without caring too much about the content. He thought that if things went like this he'd get to see the view from her room himself, but was disgusted with himself at how little pleasure the thought held.

"Oh, I love this song!" she cried, bringing him around to the present. He blinked and looked over toward where the music was coming from. A female voice carried well across the place and out onto the sand where a few couples and late night beach combers listened or danced, but he couldn't see the woman from here. She wasn't great, anyway, kind of throaty and a bit seductive, but only in a 'will never make it past small clubs' way. But the girl stood anyway, grabbing his hand and pulling him behind her onto the beach. He was a little surprised at first, but he smirked when she pressed herself flush against him and wrapped her arms up around his neck. He let his arms slip loosely around her waist, resting at the small of her back. One leg slipped smoothly between hers as he turned her, bringing them closer still, and changing his view of the restaurant. She probably flinched when he stepped on her foot, and his mumbled apology probably didn't do much to remedy it. But Reno regained his composure quickly, he liked to think he was completely used to surprises by now. Even if they came in the form of a slender blonde serenading him in the last place he'd ever expected to see her with some nobody draped all over him.

_I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble, we never could have come this far_

_I took the good times, I'll take the bad times, I'll take you just the way you are..._

She didn't look surprised to see him, and she even gave a faint smile when he caught her gaze. He was pretty sure he was unable to return it. They spun again, Reno tearing his eyes from her, staring out onto the ocean. All this time, and she was only in Costa? Singing in some shitty restaurant on some shitty beach in Costa del Sol? He pulled the girl tighter, mumbling something softly in her ear without paying attention to it.

_Don't go trying some new fashion, don't change the color of your hair_

_You always have my unspoken passion, though I might not seem to care..._

The words caught in his throat and he covered by grumbling something about seeing their waiter, taking her wrist and leading her back to the table. Out of sight of the stage he immediately felt better, as if the air was better on the far side of the building, had more oxygen in it. He reassured himself as time passed that what he'd seen was his own imagination, at most there was a girl that looked sort of like a blonde he used to know. It wasn't as if she'd ever shown any talent for singing back in Edge, there was almost no way such a coincidence would happen. Had she been this close, he would've known already.

His almost brunette, still nameless though she'd probably mentioned it enough times for him to have heard, was enjoying herself. Taking his charm and lapping it up, even inviting him up to her place to check out that view and have a drink. It was a mild relief, at least, that she was old enough to drink. But then she rose from her seat, waving a hand and calling out across the room, and he glimpsed a smiling blonde change course toward them and stop near their table with a friendly hello.

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you how lovely I thought your song was, I love that song. You're a wonderful singer miss-"

"Strife, and thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it." His eyes flicked up to her, but she was looking at his date, answering the implied question in her raised eyebrows. "No relation to _that_ Strife, of course. Just a coincidence. It does get me noticed now and again, though." The two women shared a laugh.

"It's such a shame you're all finished, I could listen to you sing all night!" Another polite smile, but this time her gaze drifted over to him.

"Well, if you really liked it that much, I'm going to be over at a little after hours place tonight... Since the two of you have been so nice, I can leave your name at the door and get you in, no charge."

"OH! That would be great! Wouldn't that be great, Reno?" She flinched and looked away from him, dragging her eyes back to the other girl.

"Well, I have to get going. The place is downtown, right across from the big theater. I'll make sure you're all set- the name was Reno, wasn't it?"

* * *

_I would be lucky to find me a man, who can love me the way that I am..._

_With this here worrisome heart..._

The bar was crowded, popular with everyone young enough to be awake and looking for entertainment after midnight. They'd made time after dinner to stop by the small apartment, and he'd learned her name was Alma. The view of the beach, he didn't remember, but the view inside the apartment was another matter. They stood near one side of the stage, Reno leaning against the wall as she held his hand and leaned against him, unafraid of intimacy after the detour. But he kept his eyes on one Miss Strife, no relation to that Strife, of course, swaying slightly as she seduced anyone and everyone in the joint with a slow jazz tune. It seemed to be her last song, at least for a while, for she was replaced on stage when it ended, and he caught sight of her slipping into the masses.

She was sitting at the bar when they managed to fight their way through the crowd. She exchanged pleasantries with his date while he ordered another scotch, sipping on a martini and oozing class. Her hair was down and curled, laid over one shoulder and spilling down her back, and she'd traded her casual dress for a slinkier black number. She must've done a lot of work to keep her skin so pale, living here a whole year. If she'd been here the whole time. He only realized he'd been staring when she turned to leave, excusing herself for a cigarette. Alma tugged him back into the crowd, but he told her he needed a smoke too, and to save him a spot, he'd only be a moment.

"So you finally came for me," she sighed when he came around the corner into the moonlit alley she idled in. A cigarette hung between two fingers and she exhaled a cloud of smoke as he lit his own.

"I didn't know you smoked."

"I don't. Not often, at least. But this seems like a fitting occasion." She leaned against the bricks of one wall, refusing to look at him even when he moved directly in front of her.

"I'm not here for you. I didn't even know you were here until-"

"I know. At least, now I do. You didn't hide your surprise that well." He smirked, tilting his head back and blowing a few little rings of smoke. "What are you here for, then? Or did you just run out of girls in Edge?"

"Business."

"Is _that_ what they call it nowadays?"

"-and a little pleasure, off the clock." She laughed, soft and low, bringing her eyes up from the glow of her cigarette and staring at the open spot of his shirt. His pulse was beating rapidly, so hard she could see it under the skin of his neck

"Of course. Always the professional." He closed the space between them, close enough to see each and every one of her eyelashes, catching her gaze.

"You took his last name."

"He's my brother. It's my name, too."

"You're a singer now." Her eyes dropped to his lips for a brief second before coming back up, wavering under his scrutiny. "Never knew you were a singer."

"You never asked." A tense moment passed, then he planted one hand on the wall on either side of her and pressed his mouth to hers, grabbing one of her arms when she tried to pull away. It only took a moment for her to respond, pulling on his collar enough to haul him off of her.

"Don't do this, Reno."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Your date is inside, waiting for you."

"She's not important."

"You still smell like her." He pulled free of her grasp, retreating a couple of steps. Shocked and a little bit ashamed of himself. "You should go back inside. She'll be looking for you." He dropped his cigarette and scuffed it out with one foot, avoiding looking at her.

"I'll walk you in."

"I'm done for tonight." She walked to the edge of the alley, pausing on the sidewalk. "Give Rude my regards."

* * *

The neon lights flashed a varying rainbow of colors in through the thin curtains, painting him blue then red, then back again, over and over. He slept, curled around her like child, both arms around her waist and across her chest as he breathed evenly into the hair at the back of her neck. A chill ran through her at the tickling sensation it gave, and she rolled onto her back. He made a small noise, coming around a bit, and nuzzled into the crook of her neck, placing a gentle kiss there. Her voice cracked and failed to come above a whisper.

"Don't." He looked up for a second, wide eyed and questioning, all innocence and pleading. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to reason why she'd let things get this far so suddenly. When she opened them, he was propped on one elbow, looking down at her and twisting one disheveled curl around his fingers.

"You're more beautiful than ever," he mumbled, burying his head back against her.

"You shouldn't have followed me home."

"You shouldn't have come right home, knowing I was following you." His lips pressed gently to the spot just behind her ear, and she felt that familiar heat blossom low in her stomach, accompanied by the almost overwhelming feeling that she shouldn't give in to it. "I missed you."

"Y- you left your date waiting for you at the club..." He made a rumbling noise deep in his chest.

"If you think I'm leaving now for anything, you're wrong, yo." She was filled with dread of what he could possibly mean as he continued planting small kisses on her neck and shoulder. "Rude doesn't expect me back until after sunup." She let out a breath, and he pulled back, looking hurt.

"You should go." He pulled her under him and moved his hands down her body at an achingly slow pace.

"I told ya, I still have a couple hours."

"I-" her voice caught and a tear slipped from the corner of her eye when she blinked and looked away from his face. "Please don't do this. I asked you- please..." His brow furrowed and he rolled away from her, sitting up and staring out the window.

"I didn't think you actually meant all this, after so long." She pulled the sheet up tighter and sat up too, leaning against the headboard.

"I just... I can't-" he rounded on her, cutting her off.

"You what? You think you're the only one that suffered?"

"No, I-"

"You think it wasn't hard for me, watching what they did to you, realizing all the time that you're the only woman I ever gave a shit about for more than a few nights? You don't think it's hard for me to keep working for them, looking Tseng in the eye every fucking day?" One corner of his mouth twitched up, in a grim smile. "No I don't suppose you do think about it. You just ran away and hid from it."

"You-" His nostrils flared for a second and his hand shot out, wrapping around her neck and holding her still.

"Shut up. I'm tired of your whining, Kemuri. Things are shitty for everyone, and you go around acting like you're some special case. You don't forgive anyone anything, and you wonder why you're alone. I'll tell you something, I thought you were a survivor, a fighter, but you're not. All this running and moping... You're just like your brother." Her mouth fell open a little, her eyes watery with unshed tears.

"Reno," she croaked, her hand coming up and touching his wrist. He flinched away from the contact, letting her go and standing quickly out of the bed and grabbing his pants.

"You know, had you asked me this time yesterday, I'd have given almost anything to hear you saying my name again. And now that you are, I'm disgusted." He buttoned his pants and reached for his shirt, "I should go." She didn't move as he finished dressing, but when he got up after pulling on his shoes she gave a small, muffled sob. His jaw clenched, he made for the door, only getting his hand on the knob when he was grabbed and forcefully turned around.

She didn't say anything, but her eyes had that faint mako glow to them still, and when she took hold of both his arms, he winced at how strong her grip was. She smiled at him, laying the length of her body against him so that he was trapped between her and the door. Her kiss was surprising as well, rough and invasive, giving the redhead a chill. Just before she pulled away, she let go with one hand and ran it down his chest, stopping only long enough to cup his crotch through his pants for an instant before letting going back up to grip his collar. She pulled away enough to look him in the eye, her voice as sure and calm as he'd ever heard it.

"I missed you too." Her lips brushed his chin, but he was too bewildered to do anything but stand still and listen. "Why don't you come up and see me again sometime?" Her smile faded slightly and she let go, opening the door for him to leave. When he made it to the stairs, she called out so that he looked back to see her leaning in the doorframe, the sheet pulled loosely around her like a billowy gown.

"Oh, and Reno? Tell Shinra where I am, and I'll kill you." He recognized a glint in her eye, even in the dimness of the hallway, and he smirked.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, yo."

* * *

A/N: well, there it is. The songs were Just the way you are originally by billy joel and worrisome heart by melody gardot. I'm not sure that i'm happy with this ending , but i feel that the way their relationship works, i probably could have just gone on forever and never found a place for closure of it. thanks for reading, i hope you liked it!


End file.
